ARRC Imjin Magazine Winter 25 | Seite 9

Sgt Sam Terry

When I joined Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps( HQ ARRC) in November 2023, I knew I was stepping into something completely new. For the first time in my career, I’ d be in an outwardfacing role— one that would take me onto the frontlines of NATO exercises across Europe and beyond. My mission was simple in theory, but huge in practice: to tell the story of the ARRC and the people who make it work.

My first job was a gentle introduction— photographing the annual Remembrance Parade. It was the perfect way to ease into the role. I spent the day capturing the service, the faces, and the small moments of reflection that make it such an important occasion. Afterwards, I learned the workflow— tagging metadata, writing captions, and preparing everything so our content could go live across social media within hours. It was my first taste of how much goes on behind the scenes to get a single image seen by the world.

Once I’ d found my footing, the pace picked up. My next assignment was filming COMARRC’ s Christmas Carol Service at Gloucester Cathedral. It was both technically demanding and creatively challenging, but it gave me the chance to really push my video production skills. After the service, I interviewed Lieutenant General( Retired) Nick Borton, who was COMARRC at the time. That short conversation helped me understand how to shape the story— to make the final video more than just a sequence of clips, but a piece that meant something.

As the new year arrived, I was tasked with producing a video that showcased ARRC’ s new role as the NATO Response Force( NRF). It was a proud moment— the first time I’ d been given full creative control over a large-scale communications project. What I didn’ t know then was that it would be the perfect preparation for what came next: Exercise STEADFAST DEFENDER.

That deployment was a huge step up. As part of the ARRC Combat Camera Team( CCT), I helped document the exercise

through both stills and video, working alongside NATO personnel from multiple nations. It was intense, fast-moving, and unpredictable— but that’ s what made it so rewarding. Over several weeks, we captured hours of footage and turned it into a 16-minute mini-documentary for ARRC’ s YouTube channel. By the time it was finished, we’ d put in around 250 hours of filming and editing. It was exhausting, but I was incredibly proud of what we’ d created.

People often look at our work and say,“ You just take pictures.” But the truth is, there’ s so much more to it. Every single job involves planning, editing, file management, metadata, liaison work, and publishing— not to mention the creative process itself. You’ re not just taking photos; you’ re telling a story. That experience on STEADFAST DEFENDER gave me a much deeper understanding of how the ARRC operates and how our Public Affairs Office fits into the wider NATO picture.

Since then, ARRC has transitioned from the NATO Response Force to the Strategic Reserve Corps( SRC), and my work has taken me even further afield. I’ ve covered exercises in Poland, Latvia, Romania, Greece, Italy, and the United States, as well as remote locations in the UK— including a windswept week in Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides. Every deployment has been different. I’ ve filmed 8 Engineer Brigade on Exercise AUSTERE SHIELD, rebuilding runways for C-130 Hercules aircraft; captured the UK’ s first live firing of the Sky Sabre missile system; and joined the Army Staff Ride on a battlefield tour of Poland. No two assignments are ever the same, and that’ s part of what keeps it exciting.

The travel is great, but what really motivates me is seeing my work out in the world. There’ s nothing quite like spotting one of your photos on another unit’ s social media page, or seeing your video picked up by a national news outlet. It’ s a real buzz knowing that what you’ ve captured helps tell the Army’ s story— not just to those in uniform, but to the public as well.

One of the best parts of being a photographer in the Army is the trust we’ re

given. When we deploy, we’ re often left to get on with it— making creative decisions on the ground, adapting to conditions, and delivering what’ s needed. That independence comes with responsibility, but it also brings huge satisfaction. You’ re not just there to take photos or videos; you’ re there to communicate, to show people what the Army and NATO are doing, and why it matters.

Looking back on my two years at HQ ARRC, I can see how much I’ ve grown— not just as a photographer, but as a storyteller. I’ ve learned that our work goes far beyond taking pictures. Every image, every clip, is part of a much bigger narrative: one that captures the professionalism, teamwork, and humanity of the military.

Army photographers have been documenting history since the Second World War, and I’ m proud to be part of that tradition. Whether it’ s on exercise, at a ceremony, or out in the field, we’ re there to record the moments that matter.

It’ s an exciting, demanding, and deeply fulfilling job— one that combines creativity with purpose.

Every time I pick up my camera, I’ m reminded that I’ m not just capturing images. I’ m preserving stories— stories that show who we are, what we do, and how we serve.