The flight aboard a Hercules into Kandahar was gruelling. Wearing a 30 lb. flak jacket, helmet and visor, I began the turbulent descent into the air base to begin my mission as an appointed military artist. Although the subjects of my paintings are often behind-the- scenes workers and under-recognized people, in my practice I include self-portraiture, affirming that the artist is a worker too. These self-referential works serve to confirm my existence and help to tell my story of entering a war zone.