(7 Sep 2012) Prince Harry, third in line to the British throne, began a four-month combat tour in Afghanistan on Friday, fresh from a vacation that included strip billiards in a Las Vegas hotel.
It is the second tour in Afghanistan for Harry, 27, who will start flying missions on Apache helicopters within 10 days in the country's restive Helmand province, the British military said.
Looking relaxed if slightly tired, Harry gave a thumbs-up after a long journey on a troop carrier flight from England to Britain's Camp Bastion, a sprawling desert base near the southern Afghan town of Lashkar Gah.
Captain Harry Wales, as he is known in the military, joins his 100-strong unit - the 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment Army Air Corps.
As part of the Apache's two-man crew, Harry will be both a co-pilot and the gunner responsible for firing the Apache's wing-mounted aerial rockets, Hellfire laser-guided missiles and 30mm machine gun.
Harry did not speak as he arrived in Helmand, and was not expected to comment publicly on his work for several weeks.
The prince's previous posting as a battlefield air traffic controller in Afghanistan in late 2007 and early 2008 lasted only 10 weeks.
It was cut short after his deployment was made public.
Britain's defence ministry decided to confirm Harry's deployment this time after a threat assessment concluded that making the details public would not put Harry or his colleagues at any additional risk.
The prince, who turns 28 next Saturday, is known for his wild lifestyle, which last month saw embarrassing naked photos emerge of him in a Las Vegas hotel room.
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