AFGHANISTAN. Waigul Valley, Nuristan. 2007. A U.S. Blackhawk helicopter lands at the Ranch House, a small American outpost deep in the
mountains of eastern Afghanistan. There were no decent roads and all medevacs, re-supply and
transport were done by helicopter.
Blackhawks were in short supply, forcing the U.S. military to turn to outside contractors. They
rented ex-Soviet helicopters, rickety and ancient and known as “Jingle Air.” They came with
pilots, some of whom had served in the Russian Army during the previous war in Afghanistan.
They were storied figures, legendary for their bravery under fire and rumored to be heavy vodka
drinkers in flight.