U.S. Navy Lt. j.g. Matthew Stroup is a public affairs officer assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Farah in western Afghanistan. After learning that he would deploy without the team's combat cameraman, he picked up a camera and started to shoot without the benefit of formal training. Portfolio
U.S. Army Sgt. Mike MacLeod is a combat correspondent assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team, public affairs office. He took the images in this slideshow in Afghanistan in 2012 over four months, beginning in late March. They show a range of missions, including troops patrolling provinces, engaging in firefights and meeting with Afghan leaders over a meal. Portfolio
U.S. Army Sgt. John Crosby swore into the Oregon Army National Guard in January 2005 and began his career as a combat medic. He volunteered for deployment with a public affairs unit and soon discovered his love of photography. Portfolio
U.S. Marine Corps Combat Camera photographer, Lance Cpl. Ralph Fabbri, of Gallitzin, Pa., died Sept. 28, 2010, during combat operations in the Helmand province of Afghanistan. He was assigned to the Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Portfolio
As a combat cameraman, I get to experience things that the rest of the world hardly ever sees. I feel it is my duty to tell the American soldier’s story. During my tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, I photographed the success, the struggle and the sacrifice that both U.S. armed forces and the local population went through during combat. Portfolio
"We have one of the most awesome jobs in the Army. One day you are doing a mission with the infantry, then next the next day your are working with the military police and medics. So from day to day, you get to experience and see new things that most people never get to during their whole military career. Portfolio
"My family comes before anything else in life, and when the Army calls on me to go to school or deploy downrange, I make a vow to myself to do the best job that I can while I'm away. These soldiers who fight on a daily basis deserve to have their story told. It's hard being away from loved ones, and I hope to make them feel proud for what they've sacrificed. Portfolio
"My job, simply put, is to tell the stories of those serving and through photos communicate the joys, excitement, troubles and hardships they face... and then tell their story through photos. One of the most rewarding things is having a soldier or other servicemember say thanks, 'Thank you for telling our story.'" Portfolio
"If someone asked me what it's like to be an Army photographer, I'd say, 'I'm fortunate to have the best job in the Army.' Not only do I get to do all the crazy and exciting things I enlisted for, like, jump out of planes, ride in helicopters, experience combat and humanitarian aid missions, I get to photograph and write about them." Portfolio
"Taking photos of my fellow soldiers is something I take very seriously. When I get to go back to base... they stay here and deal with the same dangers, difficulties and sometimes sheer boredom that comes with their job." Portfolio
McRill was killed in action July 6, 2007 while supporting combat operations in the vicinity of Baghdad, Iraq. Portfolio
"In a war zone such as Iraq, you pick up a lot more than a camera to go out and shoot. A rifle, body armor, helmet and ammunition - things you hope you never need - go with it. But as you step out of your armored vehicle, the danger is pushed to the back of your mind as the endless possibilities for photographs present themselves." Portfolio
Dunaway was in a Stryker vehicle when it ran over an anti-tank mine in Iraq. "The bomb destroyed the Stryker, but we all walked out OK. A morter round hit within 25 meters when I was at FOB McHenry - again no one was hit. I tried not to get too focused on what could happen to me, I just tried to focus on documenting what was around me." Portfolio
"You step out of the vehicle and you are immediately confronted with endless possibilities. It's very overwhelming. Because the missions are very quick, you must pick a direction and run with it. To enter into the flow of people's lives and to find that unexpected moment or the essential soul peeking out is an everyday challenge." Portfolio
"I feel like the ability to actually witness history, document those events and therefore become part of that historical event is the greatest aspect to what we do. To tell the world's stories and to be recognized for the ability to do that is a great honor." Portfolio
"What motivates me as a photojournalist covering conflict is that images that come from my mind, my perspective and my camera are shared with the rest of the world. Few people in the military have the privilege of telling such a profound event/story through pictures." Portfolio
"I get to travel all over the world experiencing and documenting everybody else's job... then leave before getting board with it. When I'm old and grey, I will be able to tell my grandchildren I have experienced everything from the inside of a submarine to hanging out of a helecopter, to operating in a war zone. And I'll have pictures to prove it." Portfolio
"During Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, I was fortunate enough to photograph several humanitarian events including a Medical Civil Action Program in Afghanistan and a school rebuilding and opening in Baghdad, Iraq. These were by far the most gratifying experiences of my career." Portfolio
"Before going to Iraq I spent weeks in Kuwait at various bases with the Seabee units setting up bases and preparing for the move forward. The Seabees treated me so well that even though I woke up in a half inch of sand and dust from the sand storms, I wanted to stay with them on the march into Iraq." Portfolio
"Driving in Baghdad, Iraq was like playing Russian roulette with a hand gun. If a roadside bomb went off, then it was my time to go. I always felt more at ease in a Black Hawk than I ever did in an up-armored hummer on the roads. The irony in it all was that the risk of getting shot down was 75 percent higher than hitting an improvised explosive device on the roads." Portfolio
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The assignment... simple. The objective... illusive. The cost... immeasurable. We are the men and women who go through great risks to get the shot. We extraordinary videographers and photojournalists train with the best, operate in the worst and get noticed the least. Our mission is to be there when history happens. Ever notice that photo or video clip in the news, book, or documentary? Well, someone had to be there. Someone had to get the shot. Someone had to tell the story. We are that someone.
U.S. Navy Petty Officer
1st Class Aaron Ansarov
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