(CNN) -- Britain's Prince Harry has acknowledged that he killed Taliban insurgents on his latest tour of duty in Afghanistan as a crew member of an Apache attack helicopter.
Harry has been serving for four months as a co-pilot gunner (CPG) in southern Helmand province -- considered a Taliban heartland -- and flew on scores of missions with the trigger to rockets, missiles and a 30mm cannon at his fingertips.
No one is saying how many insurgents Harry might have killed but toward the end of his deployment, the 28-year-old, known to his comrades as Captain Wales, shared some of his feelings about combat with reporters while on duty in the massive military base known as Camp Bastion. He said it was sometimes justified to "take a life to save a life. That's what we revolve around, I suppose."
Harry explained how the roles of Apaches and CPGs have changed since his previous deployments in 2007 and 2008. "It used to be very much: front seat, you're firing the whole time.
"Now, yes we fire when we have to but essentially we're more of a deterrent than anything else.
"Our job out here is to make sure the guys are safe on the ground and if that means shooting someone who is shooting at them, then we will do it," said the prince, third in line to the British throne.
"It's not the reason I decided to do this job. The reason to do this job was to get back out here, and carry on with a job."
Away from his helicopter, the prince mixed freely on base, eating in the canteen with everyone else and relaxing by playing video games with others in the 130-strong 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment Army Air Corps (AAC). With those comrades, he was just "one of the guys."
In contrast to his privileged upbringing in palaces and an education at Eton College, the prince lived in a shared room within shipping containers converted into an accommodation block. He said he was free to stroll around the base, to visit the gym or the laundry. "It's completely normal," Harry added.
But he said he still received unwanted attention in more public places. "For me it's not that normal because I go into the cookhouse and everyone has a good old gawp, and that's one thing that I dislike about being here," he said.
"Because there's plenty of guys in there that have never met me, therefore look at me as Prince Harry and not as Captain Wales, which is frustrating.
"Which is probably another reason why I'd love to be out in the PBs (patrol bases), away from it all.
"But yeah, it's completely normal. It's as normal as it's going to get. I'm one of the guys. I don't get treated any differently."
His deployment meant he could step back from the public eye, although he said his father, the heir to the British throne Prince Charles, often reminded him of his position. Harry admitted he had "let himself and his family down" when he was photographed naked at a party in a Las Vegas hotel last year.
He also expressed frustration about the media. Referring to the TV producer whom he was addressing, he said: "I never wanted you guys to be out here, but there was an agreement made to invite you out on the deal that the media didn't speculate before my deployment. That's the only reason you guys are out here."
Harry appeared happier talking about his military role: building up the Afghan National Army, the ANA, so it can eventually take over.
"It's great to see the ANA taking more of a lead in things as well. And the professionalism is definitely shining through."
That's something his superiors in the army might say of the prince himself.
Edited by Goethestein ()
discipline posted:had an awkward moment yesterday when a family friend was telling me how she lost her brother in iraq as a medic and thought of you, goatstein. Just sortA sat there not saying anything lol
my awkward moment was on saturday when i was ranting to my family members and a man i've never met before (my aunt's brother) about the evils of capitalism and the horrible economic inequality in this country. i told myself before i went that i wouldn't get into this but something about the phrase entitlement society just triggers me
tpaine posted:discipline posted:had an awkward moment yesterday when a family friend was telling me how she lost her brother in iraq as a medic and thought of you, goatstein. Just sortA sat there not saying anything lol
her brother gave his life so you could post on these forums and make a your little snide observations.
that was vilerat actually
Meursault posted:My gf was watching Extra or ET or some bullshit one night and there was a segment on how Prince William skipped a New Years Eve party because he was a helicopter rescuer or something in the North Sea and he went on some daring mission to rescue this guy who was walking his dog on a boardwalk and was swept into the sea, it went on and on about how brave he was and how he didn't have to risk his life to save people, but it was his duty, etc. Then as an afterthought at the end the host was like "The man swept into the sea was not found" hahaha
Meursault posted:My gf was watching Extra or ET or some bullshit
that feel when dumb gf
GoldenLionTamarin posted:Please dont insult the british monarchy goatston
THANK YOU
brits are slaves who understand that completely and have to be abused every day to validate their existence
Lykourgos posted:GoldenLionTamarin posted:Please dont insult the british monarchy goatston
THANK YOU
dude you totally missed phalanxchat
probably for the best tho it would have made you pr. mad i bet
Ironicwarcriminal posted:england sucks just so so much
its the best bc you cant get bread or milk like ours anywhere else
cleanhands posted:Ironicwarcriminal posted:
england sucks just so so much
its the best bc you cant get bread or milk like ours anywhere else
yeah and summers were hotter and policeman are getting shorter. it's pc gone made and i'm sick of foreigners changing the face of the country so i'm going to move to the costa brava and open a jellied eel store
Ironicwarcriminal posted:americans are slaves who think they're free
brits are slaves who understand that completely and have to be abused every day to validate their existence
and australians are free but have a life expectancy of 16 because of insect venom
