Post-Scandal Prince Harry Heads to Afghanistan for Helicopter Combat Tour

Royal embarks on his second trip to the country two weeks after photos from his Vegas vacation surfaced.

Prince Harry has traded his notorious Vegas strip pad for a landing pad.

Two weeks after the royal's derriere-flashing Sin City vacation made headlines, Prince Harry reported for duty Friday morning in Afghanistan to begin his combat tour as co-pilot of an attack helicopter, according to published reports.

This will mark the 27-year-old's second tour of Afghanistan--he was stationed there for 10 weeks in late 2007 and early 2008.

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His current tour of duty is expected to last for four months, and he'll take charge as co-pilot and gunner for an Apache attack helicopter covering Afghanistan's largest province, Helmand, located is the southwest region of the country.

A weary-looking Harry, decked out in fatigues, gave a thumbs-up to photographers after landing in Camp Bastion following a long flight from England, and he later made his way past several choppers before getting down to business.

In a statement released by St. James Palace, a spokesman said, "Prince Harry, like any soldier, considers it a great honor to represent his country in her majesty's armed forces wherever it chooses to deploy him."

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The deployment comes on the heels of the prince's first public appearance since his naked photos scandal--and the media circus that erupted in its wake.

No doubt, palace handlers are resting easy that they don't have to impose a media blackout on images from this particular trip of Harry's!

Check out all the pics from Prince Harry's wild weekend

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