THE TENSION: Combat Camera: US Troops Conduct Air Assault in Kandahar Province

A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from 2nd Aviation Battalion, 82nd Aviation Regiment, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade executes a two-wheel landing on a mountain side in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. The landing was preformed during a deliberate operation for the extraction infantry soldiers from 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. The deliberate operation was conducted to disrupt insurgent communication. (Photo by Sgt. Aubree Rundle, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade.)

An Infantry soldier dismounts from the side of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter while his team pulls security after an insertion onto harsh terrain in Kandahar province. The insertion and extraction of the infantry soldiers from 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division was conducted in support of a deliberate operation to disrupt insurgent communication. The assault was supported by Black Hawk helicopters from the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade. (Photo by Sgt. Aubree Rundle, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade.)

A team of infantry soldiers from 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division stay low as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter lands during a deliberation operation conducted to disrupt insurgent communication. (Photo by Sgt. Aubree Rundle, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade.)

Infantry soldiers from 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division rush a mountain to a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter during a deliberate operation in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. The operation was conducted to disrupt insurgent communication. (Photo by Sgt. Aubree Rundle, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade.)

An infantry soldier gives a thumbs up or "all clear" after dismounting a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter during air assault insertion allowing the helicopter to take off from the side of a mountain in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. The operation was conducted to disrupt insurgent communication. The infantry soldiers are from 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. (Photo by Sgt. Aubree Rundle, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade.)

A team of infantry soldiers pop smoke, standing by for their extraction from the side of a mountain conducted by UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. The deliberate operation was planned and executed by soldiers from 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division and aviation support provided by the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade. (Photo by Sgt. Aubree Rundle, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade.)

Infantry soldiers from 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division rush down the side of a mountain to board a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter after conducting a deliberate operation in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. The 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade facilitated the deliberate operation by inserting and extracting the infantry soldiers into harsh terrain to assist in the disruption of insurgent communication. (Photo by Sgt. Aubree Rundle, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade.)

Dispatches from the Front:

KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Sept. 1, 2009 -- Infantry soldiers from 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division conducted an air assault in Kandahar province, southern Afghanistan Sunday morning as a counter-insurgency mission to disrupt insurgent communication.

"The disruption caused by this operation will have a great effect in Kandahar province, Capt. Matthew Bebo, liaison officer for 1st Bn. 12th Inf. Regt. "We have been coordinating with multiple aviation task forces for this operation, but only TF Talon [3rd Battalion, 82nd Aviation Regiment, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade] and the Wild Mustangs were able to find [helicopter landing zones] HLZs close enough to the targets to complete our mission."

Two Black Hawk helicopters from the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade supported the deliberate operation by inserting and extracting the troops along harsh terrain by method of two-wheel landings allowing the troops to dismount and execute their mission.

"Insertion of troops [by means of helicopters] allows ground forces freedom of maneuver in locations where harsh terrain is a factor," said Capt. Joe Daigle, commander of Company C, 2nd Aviation Regiment, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade and pilot supporting the operation. "We take these teams to their mission site, and pull them out safely, minimizing their time on the ground."

"Through joint operations and teamwork we were able to strike a blow on the Taliban ability to communicate," said 1st Lt. Anthony Kivlehan, reconnaissance platoon leader with 1st Bn., 12th Inf. Regt.

(Report from an 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade article.)