Justin Update

I thought it was time for another update on Justin...

He is doing well, but just like us, he is getting anxious to come home. Things have been picking up over there...a good thing and a bad thing. Good because it helps time go faster when staying busy, but bad because it means more people are getting hurt and Justin, and the others serving with him, are in danger more often. They have had several suicide bombers at and near Salerno recently, so things have definitely been a little hairier.

If you know Justin well at all, you know that he doesn't do well with blood and stuff (kind of a concern when he got into this whole medevac business.) I mean I have seen him turn white and have to lie down because of a small cut on a foot. Justin has seen some terrible things over there: serious head injuries, bullet wounds, limbs missing or barely attached, etc. and he has dealt with them very well. He said that it is hard not to look and it doesn't bother him too bad until after the mission is over. I guess that is because of the adrenaline and the responsibility to do your job.

Here are a couple pics from his promotion ceremony:

This pic was taken just after he got a cooler of water dumped on him.

Justin flying over Salerno's runway: View of Salerno:

Some aerobatics:Making a hard left: Approach into Chimkani...the smoke tells them which way the wind is blowing. You can see the chopper just to the upper right of the smoke.The crew getting ready for takeoff after loading a patient at Chimkani:Takeoff:
Justin had a mission recently in a canyon. Here he is, watching as the patient is being brought to the air craft:

They had an audience of natives watching them...that usually causes some uneasiness. A mansion built into the canyon wall. ;)view of the Khowst Bowl: