To a US soldier in Iraq, a bit of green speaks of home

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Staff Sgt. Kevin Smith, of the 1-24th Infantry Regiment, finds satisfaction tending the lawn outside FOB Grizzily HQ, in Iraq's Diyala Province. Smith, a 30-year-old former landscaper from Toronto, Ontario, recently demonstrated mastery of more traditional solderly skills, placing first in the 1-25th Stryker Brigade Combat Team's all-around warrior contest. Smith subsequently placed second in a division competition among top warriors from four brigades.

Brian Patrick O'Donoghue/UAF Jou / Brian Patrick O'Donoghue/UAF Journalism

Staff Sgt. Kevin Smith, of the 1-24th Infantry Regiment, finds satisfaction tending the lawn outside FOB Grizzily HQ, in Iraq's Diyala Province. Smith, a 30-year-old former landscaper from Toronto, Ontario, recently demonstrated mastery of more traditional solderly skills, placing first in the 1-25th Stryker Brigade Combat Team's all-around warrior contest. Smith subsequently placed second in a division competition among top warriors from four brigades.

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Alaska cabins

Share photos of what you love most about your cabin; bonus for any outhouses that make it into your submissions.

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Reader-submitted: 2012 Bicycling

Location: Anchorage, 04/18/2011 Three-wheeling Bud!

Share photos of your races, rides, tricks or even your favorite bike.

Share your biking photos

READER-SUBMITTED

Alaska birds

Location: Parks Hwy Northern Hawk Owl

Alaska is home to hundreds of different migrating bird species and readers have posted hundreds of their bird-watching finds. Share your photos.

RSVP: May 2012

Location: Bagram, Afghanistan, 05/01/2012 CW2 Clinton K. Brown III of the Alaska Army National Guard with President Obama 1 May 2012 in Bagram, Afghanistan

Submit your photos from community projects and social occasions around town in May, 2012.

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Reader-submitted: Alaska Gardens 2012

Location: 05/21/2012, Indian The beginning of summer!

Alaska-themed Tattoos

Location: Our home in Anchorage, 01-29-2011 This photo was taken when our baby Jameson (who was born 16 days late on his Daddy's birthday, Jan 24) was 5 days old. The arm on the left is mine, and the arm on the right is my Husband, Aaron. We have matching arm bands that are the same design as our wedding rings, which are Alaska Soul Catcher design by Alaskan Jewelry maker Jerry Hill, which we got from the Rusty Harpoon here in Anchorage. The Arm bands were done by Jake at Body Piercing Unlimited here in Anchorage, who did a great job with the tribal design and replicating the design on the ring.

A collection of Alaska-themed tattoos pulled from our reader-submitted tattoo gallery.

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