NewsCastle
Los Angeles District
Vol. 43 No. 6 A monthly publication of the Los Angeles District of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers June 2013
Steve McCombs, an occupational safety and health specialist with the Corps of Engineers’ Los Angeles District, looks on as a crew films a scene for the National Guard’ s new recruiting commercial. The scene was shot at Whittier Narrows Park, a flood control area managed by the district, March 8. The district handles numerous permit requests to film at other locations the district manages, including the Los Angeles River.( Photo by David A. Salazar)
National Guard works with district to
film new recruiting commercial
David Salazar
LOS ANGELES— The skies darkened as an Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopter hovered over a home submerged in murky, churning waters.
A little girl clad in a light blue hoodie and pink pajama pants cowered atop the shingled roof as a soldier rappelled heroically from the helicopter. Upon landing, the girl ran to meet the soldier’ s embrace, and the two ascended to safety from the flooded vestiges.
The harrowing rescue was a scene in the Army National Guard’ s newest recruitment commercial filmed at the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, part of the Whittier Narrows Flood Control Basin, which is managed by the district.
The shoot took place in early March, but the Army National Guard launched the new commercial May 10, as part of a campaign called“ Soldiers of Steel.” The commercial calls attention to similarities between National Guard soldiers and Superman, the subject of the film“ Man of Steel,” which is scheduled to be released in theaters June 14, which also coincides with the Army’ s birthday.“ Man of Steel” director Zack Snyder also directed the new commercials.
Due to the complexity of the filming conducted at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, Steve McCombs, a district occupational and safety specialist, was on hand to observe the production.
— see NATIONAL GUARD, Page 2—