The Rescue Brigade

As the war in Afghanistan enters its 10th year, many of the troops there have already been on two or three combat tours. Few service members have witnessed the toll of war more than members of the military's medical-evacuation units. The medevacs have been in situations in which they have saved lives by getting the injured to a forward operating hospital, and they have been in many situations in which they watched their fellow troops die. (See pictures of the rescue brigade.)

In 2007, I spent about five days with the medevacs operating out of Kandahar airfield in southern Afghanistan. There I met Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jessie Russell, a female pilot flying Black Hawks to pick up the injured. I love meeting strong, smart women doing unconventional jobs. Last April, when I was in Kandahar on another embed, I bumped into her in the cafeteria, and the encounter sparked my interest in following the medevacs once again. A few months later, I got my shot.

The medevacs are confined to an area very close to the helicopters, and the troops cannot stray too far from there in case there is a call. There are two teams on duty at once, "first up" and "second up," and if there is a mass casualty, they both have to fly. There is also a team on a chase helicopter, which provides cover for the medevacs in case they are fired on. Members of the first-up team are on for 24 hours and take any call that comes in during that spell. They basically sit around and wait for calls, but in that time, they cannot shower or go to the cafeteria; they have to be ready to run to the chopper on a moment's notice.

They all feel very strongly that their role is fundamental to saving their guys in theater, and I think it really pains them when they lose someone. These images are a testament to their resolve and determination under the most challenging circumstances imaginable.

See pictures of Person of the Year 2009 runner-up General Stanley McChrystal.

See pictures of Robert Gates in Afghanistan.