After that stunning Afghanistan shot, a reader sends in some pictures taken by his son-in-law, who was a major and a Blackhawk pilot for the Army’s Special Forces in the Middle East: 
More pics after the jump.
Another reader writes:
Regarding the picture of the helicopter rescue. I cannot confirm what was going on there other than to say it would look very routine to anyone who spent much time in the Marine Corps infantry. I don’t mean a high-speed Ricky Recon type either but your average, everyday line company grunt attached to your average, everyday helicopter squadron.
During the Desert Storm era I fast-roped, repelled or jumped out of the back of CH-53s onto the top of a building or a moving ship more times than I can count. I don’t say this as as a braggart but rather to assure you that while you are right to be astonished, you should be even more so to realize that the boys in that picture are, much like me, average as grits.
The pilot, on the other hand, is probably an ego-maniacal jackass.
The Dish 