Here are some pictures of the Tennessee National Guard's 278th Regiment Combat Team patrolling along the Iranian border and spending what little time off they have with Charlie Daniels. All photos were taken by Sergeant Matthew Acosta (You can click on the thumbnails for larger versions of the pictures.)
Tennessee National Guardsman 1st Lt. Richard Tackett, platoon leader, 1st Squadron, 278th Regimental Combat Team, Task Force Liberty, searches a crevass pathway illegially used as a trade route for black market goods and for insurgent cacheing weapons.
Cavalry Scouts of 1st Squadron, 278th Regimental Combat Team,Tennessee
National Guard, Task Force Liberty, patrol the cliffs near the Iranian
border, in Iraq, looking for illegal border crossers and weapons
caches. Tons of ordinance were abandon after the war with Iran and has
been a source of explosives for bomb making insurgents.
Tennessee National Guardsman Sgt. 1st Class Joel Gibbons, Cavalry Scout
platoon Sgt., 1st Squadron, 278th Regimental Combat Team, Task Force
Liberty, stands guard while an Iraqi child passes information of a
weapons cache found near the Iranian border to the commander of the
unit, Capt James Hite. Tons of ordinance were abandon after the war
with Iran and has been a source of explosives for bomb making
insurgents.
Soldiers of the Tennessee National Guard stationed at forward operating
base Caldwell, in Iraq, gathered together for a concert by the Charlie
Daniels Band. The band play for almost an hour as the crowd sang along,
and also played its well-known hit (Devil went down to Georgia.)
Charlie Daniels personally thanked the troops for serving the in
the United States Armed Forces and for the sacrifices they have made.
After the concert, the band provided band photos and signed autographs.
The band has been touring various military installations in several
countries in the areas of operation, here in the Middle East, to
include Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Iraq.