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From the archives, 2012 | Photo gallery: Inside the wire at COP Sabari

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Stars and Stripes •
Sgt. Gregory Leatherman works on his swing at Combat Outpost Sabari shortly before going on leave. He plans to play with friends and family back home.

Sgt. Gregory Leatherman works on his swing at Combat Outpost Sabari shortly before going on leave. He plans to play with friends and family back home. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

The soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment at Combat Outpost Sabari, eastern Khost province, Afghanistan, keep a consistent pace of daily patrols and longer missions going throughout their area of operation.

When not outside the wire, the soldiers from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, near Anchorage, Alaska, pull guard duty, clean and sometimes mend ripped uniforms.

Pfc. Connor Law watches a movie while getting a haircut from Staff Sgt. John Cox in his platoon's day room at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province.

Pfc. Connor Law watches a movie while getting a haircut from Staff Sgt. John Cox in his platoon's day room at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

Pfc. Santiago Ramos shaves before going to work for the day at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province.

Pfc. Santiago Ramos shaves before going to work for the day at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

Pfc. Nathan Jackson carries a plate of food in "The Impact Inn," the nickname for the dining facility at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province.

Pfc. Nathan Jackson carries a plate of food in "The Impact Inn," the nickname for the dining facility at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

Capt. David Stroud, commander of Team Apache with the 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, takes a short break during a workout in the gym at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province, Afghanistan.

Capt. David Stroud, commander of Team Apache with the 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, takes a short break during a workout in the gym at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province, Afghanistan. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

“When not on missions we go to the gym, we go to the MWR, sleep, clean up around the areas, nothing really much else to do,” said Pfc. Jacob Lunceford. “Some people play video games, watch movies and a lot of people like their alone time because there’s not much of it here.”

Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment take advantage of down time by squeezing in a workout at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province.

Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment take advantage of down time by squeezing in a workout at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

Pfc. Jacob Lunceford, one of Combat Outpost Sabari's gym regulars, strains to get his dumbbells up at the end of a set.

Pfc. Jacob Lunceford, one of Combat Outpost Sabari's gym regulars, strains to get his dumbbells up at the end of a set. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

Staff Sgt. Damian Remijio calls his girlfriend in Alaska from the Morale, Welfare and Recreation room at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province.

Staff Sgt. Damian Remijio calls his girlfriend in Alaska from the Morale, Welfare and Recreation room at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment use computers in a Morale, Welfare and Recreation room at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province.

Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment use computers in a Morale, Welfare and Recreation room at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

Routine goes out the window when the call comes to head out on a mission, but the soldiers still manage to carve out time for themselves.

“Even when we’re not on call, we’ll still get spun up to do something,” Pfc. William Bates said. “I guess a good way to describe life here is boredom punctuated by extreme excitement.”

Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment deployed to Combat Outpost Sabari occasionally play poker to fill their downtime.

Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment deployed to Combat Outpost Sabari occasionally play poker to fill their downtime. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

The evening sun casts the shadows of Spc. Christopher Tenore, left, and Sgt. Nicholas Streeter as they play basketball at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province.

The evening sun casts the shadows of Spc. Christopher Tenore, left, and Sgt. Nicholas Streeter as they play basketball at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

Spc. Lindsey Stolz, left, and Sgt. Robert Acosta frequently play their guitars together on Combat Outpost Sabari.

Spc. Lindsey Stolz, left, and Sgt. Robert Acosta frequently play their guitars together on Combat Outpost Sabari. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

Sgt. Wilfredo Briones patches up a ripped pair of pants. Briones takes care of his platoon by stitching up uniforms and cutting their hair at Combat Outpost Sabari.

Sgt. Wilfredo Briones patches up a ripped pair of pants. Briones takes care of his platoon by stitching up uniforms and cutting their hair at Combat Outpost Sabari. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

Pfc. Jacob Lunceford with the 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment sleeps in his barracks at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province.

Pfc. Jacob Lunceford with the 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment sleeps in his barracks at Combat Outpost Sabari, Khost province. (Joshua L. DeMotts/Stars and Stripes)

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