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FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, Afghanistan (6/30/12) – From a
small town in Montana to a small base in Afghanistan, Spc. Nathaniel
Rose feels at home – to a degree – here in Afghanistan's mountainous
Ghazni Province.
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U.S. Army Spc. Nathaniel Rose, a Huson, Mont., native, feels at home – to a degree – here in Afghanistan's mountainous Ghazni Province. Rose serves as an unmanned aerial vehicle operator with 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. Photo by Army Sgt. Jonathan Shaw
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Attracted to the Army's college and post-service employment
opportunities, and its health care benefits, the lanky Montanan
enlisted three years ago to become an unmanned aerial vehicle
operator.
Rose is assigned to 1st Brigade Special Troops
Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, based
stateside at Fort Bragg, N.C.
“My dad showed
me an article in a Guard magazine with a predator on it,” said Rose.
“It looked like a fun thing to do while doing some good for the guys
on the ground.”
“The guys on the ground have told me that
they feel more secure with the Shadow flying overhead,” he said.
“It's good to feel like you're doing something useful.”
“I
don't really care about killing the bad guys; I'd just rather keep
our guys safe,” he added. |
Rose's father, Lt. Col. Collin Rose, is an infantry
officer in command of the 190th Combat Sustainment Support
Battalion of the Montana Army National Guard. As a former
Marine parachutist, he says he is glad his son was assigned
to the 82nd.
“I am very proud of my son's decision to
enlist, and of his service,” said Collin.
He and
Nathaniel, enjoy hunting, hiking and mountain biking in the
mountains surrounding Huson, Mont., when they can. The two
are close and talk on the phone a few times a week.
“I enjoy the rugged mountains and arid climate here [in
Ghazni],” said Nathaniel. “It reminds me a little bit of
home.”
The 21-year-old specialist believes his choice
to join the Army was a good one, particularly for the
employment opportunities he will have as a UAV operator when
he finishes his service.
With a new family, he is
considering working for AAI, the company that manufactures
the Shadow 200 UAV that he and his teammates fly to observe
the battlefield and inform the troops on the ground of what
they see.
Rose may attend college before getting a
job. He has yet to decide.
“Honestly, I want to go
back to Montana for a while and just be there,” he said.
By Army Sgt. Mike MacLeod
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2012
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