Photos: Dusty and worn, American flag becomes a memento

After a year as the leader of 3rd Platoon, Fox Company, 2/2 Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 1st Lt. Troy Peterson has been promoted to Fox Company's executive officer. That means he must leave 3rd Platoon, which is stationed at Combat Outpost Mizan, and head to the sprawling Forward Operating Base Apache in Qalat.

Before leaving, Peterson took a memento from his time leading troops at Mizan — the American flag that has flown over the base for the last three months. Tattered by relentless wind and dust, it was time to put up a new flag anyhow.

Peterson, along with Sgt. James Dotson and Sgt. Duncan Burry, swapped the flags out at sunset Oct. 9 — replacing the six-foot cotton one with a ten-foot nylon flag that will last longer.

After the new flag went up, Peterson saluted and sat below it, watching the sun set into the distant mountains.

(Photo by Ben Brody for GlobalPost) (Photo by Ben Brody for GlobalPost)