Honoring the California Fallen

Army Specialist Kevin R. Shumaker, 24, Livermore, CA, was assigned to Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, NY. SPC Shumaker died stateside of rabies believed to have been contracted while he was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

My Boss and a Surprise Visit

Camisha and I were at work today when we got a call that our boss was on our base. We thought it was our boss up at Bagram...nope, it was the Chief of the Army Nurse Corps, Major General Patricia Horoho. She is in Afghanistan for a while inspecting sites and learning more about the deployed setting. She was very interested in talking with us about the new flight nurse program. Oh, and she is our next Army Surgeon General...

Also on this trip was a long lost friend. MAJ Dennis Sarmiento is an Army Psychiatrist that I got to work with at Walter Reed for a few years. He has since moved to Ft Hood, TX and is deployed with the 1st Cavalry to Bagram. It was a wonderful surprise to see him!

Honoring the Paktika Province Loses

The following individuals were assigned to 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade Grafenwoehr, Germany. They died in the Paktika Province, AFG, while conducting vehicle recovery operations and encountered a secondary explosion while dismounted.

Army Sergeant Matthew A. Harmon, 29, Bagley, MN.

Army Specialist Joseph A. VanDreumel, 32, of Grand Rapids, MI.

Honoring the California Fallen

Army Private First Class Rueben J. Lopez, 27, of Williams, CA was assigned to 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Ft Drum, NY. PFC Lopez died in Kandahar Province, AFG, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Also killed were SGT Edward J. Frank II, SPC Jameel T. Freeman, SPC Patrick L. Lay II, and SPC Jordan M. Morris.

A Day in My Life

My welcome home gift. It sucks living in the middle of no where!

One of our Flight Medics during our morning run-up.
With one of our Crew Chiefs while we get gas for the aircraft.

CPT Boatwright and I taking advantage of some down time at work to exercise.

Honoring the California Fallen

Marine Sergeant Adan Gonzales Jr., 28, from Bakersfield, CA, was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA. SGT Gonzales died in the Helmand Province, Afghanistan while conducting combat operations.

Also killed was Marine Sergeant Joshua J. Robinson.

Honoring the California Fallen

The following indivduals died on 06AUG2011 in the Wardak Province, AFG of wounds suffered with the CH-47 Chinook helicopter in which they were riding was shot down.


Navy Special Warfare Operator Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Louis Langlais, 44, of Santa Barbara, CA, was assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

Navy Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Darrik C. Benson, 28, of Angwin, CA, was assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

Navy Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jesse D. Pittman, 27, of Willits, CA, was assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL team.

Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew W. Harvell, 26, of Long Beach, CA, was assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Field, NC.

A Day in Flight

All geared up and enroute

Our equipment Loading a patient
Monitoring a patient
So far so good

A little tender loving care

Celebration of another successful flight

Honoring the California Fallen

Army Specialist Jinsu Lee, 34, of Chatsworth, CA, was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, HI. SPC Lee died in the Kunar Province, AFG.

Honoring the Paktika Province Loses

Army Captain Waid C. Ramsey, 41, of Red Bay, AL, was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Alabama National Guard, Birmingham, AL. CPT Ramsey died in Paktika Province of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked with small arms fire.

My Daily Routine

Thanks for the pics Hill, Kitchen, and Williams