(Charlie Coon/Stars and Stripes)

Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, Oct. 31, 2004: Capt. Jose Antonio Ferrari of Spain’s 3rd Paratrooper Battalion said he is proud to have helped the Afghan people hold their Oct. 9 presidential election. Ferrari said, “We are Spanish paratroopers. We are prepared to go anywhere in the world. Otherwise we wouldn’t be soldiers. We wouldn’t be paratroopers.”