Photo By Sgt. Alfonso Corral | U.S. Army Spc. Mitchell Murphy, who is assigned to the 982nd Combat Camera Company in...... read more read more
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RAPID CITY, South Dakota – It was a hot day with the weather well over 90 degrees in Rapid City. In the middle of a field surrounded by trees, small buildings, and dust, people with facemasks shot paintballs into targets. Soldiers from the 982nd Combat Camera Company, of East Point, Ga., captured photos of this urban patrol training.
The 982nd is the only combat camera company in the Army Reserve. Their mission during their 2016 annual training was to document Golden Coyote 2016 in South Dakota. Known as a 25V Military Occupational Specialty, the combat camera’s primary job - combat documentation and production - in the Army Reserve is to provide photos and videos.
“982nd Combat Camera Company’s mission is to support our military leaders with imagery and video, and be the eyes and ears of the Army Reserve,” said Sgt. 1st. Class Horace Murray, assigned to the 982nd.
Golden Coyote is one of the largest training exercises in the National Guard with the U.S. Regular Army and Army Reserve working together. Military men and women from other nations, such as Denmark, Singapore and Canada, also participated in Golden Coyote.
Spc. Kristen Root explained the purpose of Golden Coyote.
“It’s an exercise to benefit the black hills area and many communities in South Dakota with infrastructure projects to improve the national forest, Custer State Park, and the Native American reservations,” said Root.
Also covering the event for the 982nd and the Army Reserve, Sgt. Randall Roussin said Soldiers transported timber to Native American communities who use it as firewood or for constructions. As the oldest 25V in the 982nd with 38 years in the Army, Roussin says he loves his job and wants to be behind the camera.
Murray said that what makes combat camera Soldiers elite is that “they will jump out of planes to do air assault missions, and they will do anything combat Soldiers will do.”
Spc. Zakia Gray and Murray participated in urban patrol training as part of Golden Coyote 2016. Wearing facemasks and shooting with paintball rifles, each of them was in a different squad. Their mission was to track down an enemy in a building across the hills and forest. They took photos of other Soldiers during the urban patrol training, as squads walked, ran and crawled from one location to another.
Soldiers from the 982nd faced challenges. It was sunny the rest of the week, but strong rainfall and winds swept the area June 13. The 25Vs worked to ensure their tent didn’t blow away and their equipment stayed dry. The winds were so strong that they knocked down most of the porta-johns at Custer Park.
Spc. Robert West said the biggest challenge was inclement weather. He and his soldiers were prepared with wet weather gear and pallets to keep their equipment off the ground. Roussin said, “The biggest challenge is being able to capture that unbelievable photograph.”
In spite of a few challenges, they were still optimistic about their mission.
At Ellsworth Air base, Root looked forward to meeting people from all over the world while documenting Golden Coyote. She flew on the CH47-Chinook with the Singapore Air Force for about four and half hours documenting them. She loved every minute of it.
Spc. Mitchell Murphy also was excited about the training. “I’m looking forward to getting some good photos out there, and to get recognized for my work,” said Murphy.
West also looked forward to the mission because he had never been to South Dakota. Until coming to South Dakota, his favorite mission was documenting North Carolina National Guard Special Forces conducting a tactical hike and mountain survival training. He hopes to see Mount Rushmore and other sites before Golden Coyote is completed.
| Date Taken: | 06.17.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.19.2016 23:52 |
| Story ID: | 201643 |
| Location: | RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 93 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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