As the War on Terrorism wound down in Afghanistan, U.S. Special Forces like this soldier were largely responsible for capturing hundreds of Al-Qaida and Taliban sympathizers in Afghanistan. Their lightweight Toyota pickup trucks cruised the desert roads of southern Afghanistan staging raids, sometimes with as few as a dozen men.
Orders were also given to the Special Forces to shave and wear regular uniforms to look more like U.S. soldiers rather than locals. The order to shave facial hair and to "re-adapt uniform and grooming standards" came after a special operations commander, saw numerous photographs of troops operating on the ground in Afghanistan with full beards and partial uniforms. The decision came after the perception that the grooming standard of the troops was out of hand and that the time had passed for the need of the soldiers to blend in.
The troops called this is a mistake. The casual dress code, soldiers say, makes sense for security purposes. They say being clean-shaven will make them stand out in the crowd, possibly drawing the attention of their enemies. One Marine Corps colonel, interpreted the rules this way, "I've told my men it's all right if they look like they work in a 7-Eleven, just so long as they don't look like they robbed one."
This soldier is armed with the lightweight Colt M4A1, a shortened variant of the M16A2 rifle.The stock is collapsible for compact storage and operations. The M4 provides the individual soldier operating in close quarters the capability to engage targets at extended range with accurate, lethal fire. Special Forces, displeased with the 3-round burst of the M4, adopted the M4A1. |
