MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- YECHON, South Korea - If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the work that combat photographers perform on deployment creates an endless novel.
Creating the visual story for Foal Eagle '03 was Marine Wing Support Squadron 171's combat photographer, Lance Cpl. Kevin McCall.
While deployed to Camp Ruffing during Foal Eagle '03, McCall was faced with numerous challenges compared to those he is presented with at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni.
"When I first got here, I stepped off of the C-130 and automatically started taking pictures," said the Piedmont, S.C., native. "I was then told of the photography restrictions in place to keep up the operational security of the camp, and performing my job since then has been difficult."
Although the pictures McCall could take were few, he still accomplished his mission and then some, according to Sgt. William Cashmore, McCall's noncommissioned officer-in-charge during Foal Eagle '03.
"McCall is a hard working combat photographer and is always out shooting photos or looking for some extra work to do," said Cashmore. "He is doing the best that anyone could possibly do given the circumstances of the restrictions imposed on him. He is taking the best opportunities to take the best pictures."
McCall, like all combat photographers, had to attend the Basic Still Photography course at the Defense Information School at Fort George G. Meade, Md., making him a skilled photographer, but during Foal Eagle '03 he also took on the job of a combat videographer.
"Shooting video is a very difficult task, even for experienced photographers," said McCall. "Given the restrictions at Camp Ruffing, it is even harder since with a video camera you are not just capturing one frame."
Since video cameras capture a more wide spread picture than McCall's digital camera, he often found himself field editing his video footage to make sure it is operationally secure.
"These restrictions are imposed on the camp for a reason," said McCall. "When given a situation such as this I have to make it a part of my job to ensure that every thing is within the boundaries of operational security."
Since McCall arrived with the deployment's advanced party, he has shot more than 500 photos and over two hours of video documentation, all which will have to be reviewed, cleared for release and captioned upon returning to Iwakuni.
Although many people may not get to see the final product of McCall's work, his images will be around as long as the Marine Corps is in existence.
"Most of these photos will most likely just be put on CD to be stored or distributed to the units involved in the exercise," he said. "However, you never know when this documentation will be reviewed in preparation for Foal Eagle '04 or even gracing the pages of Marine Corps history books 50 years from now."