Prince Harry on the flightline in Afghanistan. (John Stillwell/Getty Images)
USATODAY-So maybe Harry viewed Vegas as his last hurrah before shipping out?
Today, the ginger prince landed in southern Afghanistan to begin a four-month combat tour as a gunner for an attack helicopter.
The Ministry of Defence said in a release that "Captain Wales", 27, who made headlines last month for his Las Vegas partying, arrived today at Camp Bastion, the largest coalition base in the country, in Helmand. He will start work as an Apache co-pilot and gunner within 10 days.
Harry, dressed in his combat uniform, gave a thumbs-up today to cameras after landing at the base to join his 100-strong unit - the 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment Army Air Corps.
Britain has around 9,500 troops in Afghanistan, mainly based in Helmand province, and has suffered 425 deaths since the start of operations against the Taliban in 2001, reports AP.
"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," St James's Palace said in a statement. Harry did not speak as he arrived in Helmand.
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 secret deployment was made public.
In May 2007, the British military prevented Harry from heading out on a planned six-month tour of duty to Iraq because the risks to his safety were deemed too great. Britain's defense ministry said it decided to confirm Harry's deployment occasion after a threat assessment concluded that acknowledging his presence in Afghanistan would not put the royal or his colleagues at further risk.
In an interview last March, Harry insisted he was eager to return to combat after training to fly Apache helicopters at U.S. bases in California and southern Arizona.
"You can't train people and then not put them into the role they need to play, he told CBS News. For me personally, as I said, I want to serve my country. I've done it once, and I'm still in the Army, I feel as though I should get the opportunity to do it again," he said.