Afghan horse man 5 RAR

Robert Cooper served in Afghanistan 2010-2011. He was deployed as an ASLAV gunner with 2 Cavalry Regiment as part of MTF-2 (Mentoring Task Force – Rotation 2), based in Uruzgan Province.

While on deployment, Cooper was able to sketch and write in his journal, and he also recorded footage of troop movements and the local Afghan people. Cooper was discharged in early 2011. Once home, he produced a sequenced set of 346 works on paper, referring back to the notes and footage he made in Afghanistan so that he could tell the story of his deployment with absolute accuracy. Cooper wanted to show people exactly what he had witnessed and experienced at war.

Trooper Cooper wrote the following description of the work in his diary:

NOV 2 2010 - GREEN SMOKE
MEDEVAC IN PROGRESS
TODAY OUR TROOP HAD the TASK OF ESCORTING
VEHICLES FROM FOB MIRWAIS TO COP MARSHALL
JUST ON ARRIVAL. A MARHSALL FOOT PATROL - LOCATED
IN THE GREEN BELT WERE ENGAGED IN A CONTACT
END RESULT
(1) ANA SOLDIER SHOT IN HEAD
(2) FUNDAMENTALIST - (1) SHOT IN the ARM
AND (1) SHOT - DEAD
THE AUSTRALIANS AND THE ANA BLAMED EACH
OTHER FOR THE SHOOTING DEATH OF THE
TEENAGE BOY - THE FOLLOWED HIS BLOOD TRAIL AND FOUND HIM, INSIDE A QUALA
WHERE HE DIED ----