The end of any year brings rounds of interesting lists and more summarizing the events seen. For the U.S. Army, the end of 2018 meant sharing a breathtaking look at their year in photos.
A tank can be an impressive sight in any situation, but this photo from the year in review is particularly impressive. Two engineers, taking part in a qualification process, were photographed hunched on the side of the massive vehicle.
Engineers conduct M2A3 Bradley fighting vehicle gunnery qualification, March 27, 2018, at Orchard Combat Training Center, in Boise, Idaho. Combat engineers with the 116th Brigade Engineer Battalion trained through gunnery table XII, evaluating their ability to execute collective platoon-level tasks in a tactical live-fire environment; including integrating dismounted soldiers with their assigned BFV. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Robert Barney)
This image shows tanks on the move, and in a storm. The lightning in the distance highlights the fact that our troops have to be prepared to work and fight under any condition.
North Carolina National Guard’s 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team participated in an eXportable Combat Training Capability exercise, Aug. 22, 2018. The XCTC has over 4,000 Citizen-Soldiers from Minnesota, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, and the country of Moldova honing their combat skills of “Shoot, Move, Communicate, and Sustain.” (National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Brendan Stephens)
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An image taken of soldiers undergoing fire phobia training illustrates what riot control preparedness can look like. They have to be ready to deal with all manner of weapons, including Molotov cocktails.
Soldiers conducted fire phobia training, at Camp Marechal de Lattre de Tassigny, Kosovo, May 2, 2018. The training familiarizes crowd riot control forces with tactics and techniques for reacting to and mitigating the threat of improvised incendiary devices or weapons such as Molotov cocktails. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Ed Alvarado)
Do you now, or have you ever, served in the U.S. military?
Yes: 67% (241 Votes)
No: 33% (118 Votes)
Think rappel towers look tough or scary? Try going down one upside-down. Fast.
An air assault instructor fast ropes from the Fort Bliss Air Assault School rappel tower, May 18, 2018, at Fort Bliss, Texas. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Dontavian Harrison)
Hide-and-seek can be a lot of fun. Unless the other guy has a gun.
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A U.S. Army Special Forces Soldier stalks a target during a reconnaissance and surveillance exercise, June 8, 2018, at Join Base Cape Cod, Mass. The highly trained Soldiers of the 20th Special Forces Group, Massachusetts National Guard, serve part-time but maintain their high level of combat capabilities. (Massachusetts National Guard photo by Army Spc. Samuel D. Keenan)
Many images of rocket launchers be fired can be pretty amazing. But this one shows what happens in a whole new way.
Soldiers from shoot the AT4 Rocket Launcher at notional targets, Aug. 22, 2018, in Fort Drum, New York. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. M. Austin Parker)
Rangers in action. The mid-action still leaves one imagining the sound of the thuds as boots make contact to chest, and then body hits the ground. Hard.
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Maneuver Center of Excellence leaders, Family and friends of Ranger Class 02-18 gather to watch the Rangers in Action demonstration at Fort Benning, Ga., Jan. 26, 2018. (U.S. Army photo)
Military training can be difficult. But this image of special forces training shows just how hard our soldiers have to work, and how much they have to endure, to make it.
U.S. Army Soldiers of the Special Forces Basic Combat Course endure a morning physical fitness training session at Torii Station, Okinawa, Japan, April 15th, 2018. Soldiers participating in SFBCC will receive rigorous training for 2 weeks, in order to educate students on Special Forces tactics, training and skills. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Aaron Agee)
Animals play a role in our military, as well. Here is a dog being specially trained for service.
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A U.S. Soldier conducts exercise and obedience training with a Military Working Dog at Boeblingen Local Training Area, Germany, April 24 2018. (U.S. Army photo by Visual Information Specialist Jason Johnston)
Of course, not all animals are wanted there. In this photo, a snake photo-bombed a sniper in training.
A southern black racer snake slithers across the rifle barrel held by a junior Army National Guard sniper as he practices woodland stalking in a camouflaged ghillie suit at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., April 7, 2018, (U.S. Army photo by Army photo by Staff Sgt. William Frye)
It is hard for families to watch their loved ones leave for deployment. But their homecoming will be filled with just as many hugs and kisses, if not more.
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Idaho National Guard Soldiers mobilized from Boise to Fort Hood, Texas, for training and will deploy to Afghanistan this spring in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. During the 12-month deployment the unit will provide medical evacuation support. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Robert Barney)
Sadly, not all homecomings are filled with hugs and kisses. Some of our brave men and women come home a different way after having given their all. Their sacrifice makes the preservation of our freedoms all the more worth fighting for.
Transfer cases, containing the remains of what are believed to be U.S. service members lost in the Korean War, line the bay of a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft during an honorable carry ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Aug. 1, 2018. The ceremony marked the arrival of 55 transfer cases recently repatriated from North Korea. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency will receive the remains to start the identification process. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Apryl Hall)
What our men and women go through in order to serve us is admirable. These photos shared by the U.S. Army only touch on a small portion of the sacrifice, dedication and hard work they put into their every day for our benefit.
