Marines from the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., won the inaugural Tug-of-War Competition hosted by the Desert Refuge for Peace Officers and Military Personnel in Joshua Tree, Calif., April 14, 2018. The event also included barbecue lunch, live music, giveaways and inter-faith prayer services. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dave Flores) - Marines from the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., won the inaugural Tug-of-War Competition hosted by the Desert Refuge for Peace Officers and Military Personnel in Joshua Tree, Calif., April 14, 2018. The event also included barbecue lunch, live music, giveaways and inter-faith prayer services. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dave Flores)
Gunnery Sgt. Jaren Wright, Staff Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge, Marksmanship Training Unit, surprised his daughter during a question-and-answer event at Friendly Hills Elementary School in Joshua Tree, Calif, Dec. 7, 2017. This is the first year the event took place at Friendly Hills. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Rachel K. Porter) - Gunnery Sgt. Jaren Wright, Staff Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge, Marksmanship Training Unit, surprised his daughter during a question-and-answer event at Friendly Hills Elementary School in Joshua Tree, Calif, Dec. 7, 2017. This is the first year the event took place at Friendly Hills. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Rachel K. Porter)
Pfc. Richard Mora Fernandez, student, Marine Corps Communications-Electronics School, helps restore the Gateway Parcel during the Mojave Desert Land Trust Earth Day Restoration in Joshua Tree, Calif., April 23, 2016. (Official Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Dave Flores/Released) - Pfc. Richard Mora Fernandez, student, Marine Corps Communications-Electronics School, helps restore the Gateway Parcel during the Mojave Desert Land Trust Earth Day Restoration in Joshua Tree, Calif., April 23, 2016. (Official Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Dave Flores/Released)
The Provost Marshal’s Office’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education Lion, Daren, interacts with Morongo Basin children at the Joshua Tree Summer Splash event at the Joshua Tree Community Center, Aug. 22, 2015. (Official Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Levi Schultz/Released) - The Provost Marshal’s Office’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education Lion, Daren, interacts with Morongo Basin children at the Joshua Tree Summer Splash event at the Joshua Tree Community Center, Aug. 22, 2015. (Official Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Levi Schultz/Released)
This photo took some time to get right, and it took about eight drive-bys at 1 a.m. My boss, GySgt. Leo Salinas, dropped me off near the stop sign, and took off in his Jeep so I could do a few practice shots to get it looking just right. I stood there alone in the middle of the desert with no protection and thousands of dollars of camera gear. I started to feel uneasy. I had this image in my head of a wanderer with an eye patch and a beard creeping up next to me as I pop my flash for the shot. No kidding, like a bad 80s horror movie. I stood there for sometime conjuring this wild story for no reason at all. When my gunny stopped, I noticed lights in the distance rushing toward us. I didn't find out who or what those lights were because I insisted we just take off. Don't judge me. I never like scary movies. - This photo took some time to get right, and it took about eight drive-bys at 1 a.m. My boss, GySgt. Leo Salinas, dropped me off near the stop sign, and took off in his Jeep so I could do a few practice shots to get it looking just right. I stood there alone in the middle of the desert with no protection and thousands of dollars of camera gear. I started to feel uneasy. I had this image in my head of a wanderer with an eye patch and a beard creeping up next to me as I pop my flash for the shot. No kidding, like a bad 80s horror movie. I stood there for sometime conjuring this wild story for no reason at all. When my gunny stopped, I noticed lights in the distance rushing toward us. I didn't find out who or what those lights were because I insisted we just take off. Don't judge me. I never like scary movies.