Merry Christmas from Afghanistan

Sergeant Steve Blake RLC

Sergeant Steve Blake is a professional Army Photographer with the Royal Logistic Corps. A trained soldier, Steve is currently serving a six-month tour of Afghanistan as part of the three-man Combat Camera Team (comprising a trained journalist, photographer and video cameraman).

Steve and the team are based at Camp Bastion in Helmand province but will spend most of their time out on the ground, capturing life on the front line.

 

Thank you

 

Well, it’s that time of the year again. The festive silly season is no doubt in full swing back in the UK, but here in Afghanistan, it’s a totally different story.

 

As the UK prepare to get obscenely drunk and eat masses of food and chocolates, the troops here in Afghanistan prepare for just another day!  

 

Some will spend the day relaxing and playing games. 

Some will spend the day patrolling through the bazaar. 

 

Some will have the luxury of a cooked turkey dinner. 

Some will be eating yet another ration pack. 

Some will spend time on Skype to there families. 

Some won’t even get the chance to ring home.

Some will go to bed full of Christmas cheer and food.

Some won’t sleep because they will be on duty.

 

Whatever happens here tomorrow, wherever they are, everyone will be thankful of one thing. The fact they are a day closer to getting home to their loved ones.

 

Whatever you do this Christmas, please, spare a thought for our Troops on Operations who won’t get to see their loved ones this Christmas. Be grateful for whatever ‘Santa’ brings you, but most of all, please be grateful, and raise a glass, to the people sacrificing there lives for your peaceful and terrorist-free Christmas. A lot of people won’t have the opportunity to see their loved ones ever again, and many more now have to face life-changing injuries.

 

I would like to thank everyone who has supported me and my blog over the past few months, the feedback on my imagery has been amazing. But most of all, I want to thank my beautiful wife Michelle, who has been my absolute rock since I departed the UK in September. Big hugs to my kids too, who I am missing terribly. Also not forgetting my gorgeous spaniels, Willow, Monty and Tia.

 

I wish my family, and everyone, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 

All the best

 

Steve