On Patrol

Gas! Gas! Gas!,” yelled a group of masked Airmen as they ran through a smoke-filled obstacle course.

Airmen run through smoke July 28, 2011, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, during an aerial port obstacle course. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Jared Trimarchi.

The group immediately dropped to their knees and donned their gas masks as quickly as possible.

It might not have been a real alarm, but this aerial port obstacle course at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, was treated like one.

Airman Jared Trimarchi was assigned to photograph these competing airmen in July at the Air Mobility Rodeo 2011. The rodeo pits aerial porters from different bases around the world against each other in a four-mile obstacle course that tests physical endurance, teamwork, and their ability to complete basic aerial port duties. Trimarchi stood close by as the competitors charged towards the gas portion of the course.

“Due to the green smoke I couldn’t see them,” Trimarchi said. “I stood in the shadows of the trees to hide from the sun because I wanted a darker photo.” Suddenly, Trimarchi saw one airman pop out of the smoke, and then another followed by the rest of the group. “I dropped to a kneeling position and started shooting away,” he said.

Trimarchi was able to capture this intense moment of competition as the airmen ran past him in less than 10 seconds. He considers it one of his best photos.

“Although I can’t see the faces of the airmen, I somehow see their dedication, teamwork, and motivation,” he said, “If you have ever run with a gas mask, you know how hard it is to breathe.”

The 21-year-old Miami, Florida, native joined the Air Force in April 2010, and hopes this photo can be used as a symbol of how hard soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen around the world work together.

“Even though being in the military is a tough job—and at times our world might be full of green gas—all troops work together, stick together, push through together, overcome together, and emerge from the green smoke together,” he said.