not titled [First guard duty]

Robert Cooper served in Afghanistan 2010-2011. He was deployed as an ASLAV gunner with 2 Cavalry Regiment as part of MTF-2 (Mentoring Task Force – Rotation 2), based in Uruzgan Province.

While on deployment, Cooper was able to sketch and write in his journal, and he also recorded footage of troop movements and the local Afghan people. Cooper was discharged in early 2011. Once home, he produced a sequenced set of 346 works on paper, referring back to the notes and footage he made in Afghanistan so that he could tell the story of his deployment with absolute accuracy. Cooper wanted to show people exactly what he had witnessed and experienced at war.

Trooper Cooper wrote the following description of the work in his diary:
"First guard duty
Night time in in tower (5)
Scanning the terrain with NVG - night vision goggles, to get familiar with FOB Mirwais immediate surrounding's (sic).
I get (2) visitors from MTF-1 which I find some what (sic) odd
For no one unless on duty.... visits a guard post ----
We make small talk and after some time they reluctantly leave
Then I became aware of the significance of their visit
They were in (2) minds
Relieved to leave Afghanistan
Remoseful that some of their MTF-1 colleague's (sic) will never accompany them"