An Airman walks back to his room after a long duty day at Balad Air Base, Iraq. Most Airmen assigned at the air base live in a compound surrounded by towering T-barriers. The T-barriers act as a line of defense against stray bullets and as blast protection from mortar attacks. The weight of the T-barriers varies from four to 17 tons. Pic: Tech. Sgt. Cecilio M. Ricardo Jr.