definition of, 29;
driving style of, 107–8, 134;
explosives in Camp Ali, 215;
friendships with, 235;
jundi-bots, 140;
lunch with, 75;
morale of, 209, 236;
motivation of, 115, 236;
orders from Americans, 59;
punishment system, 84–85, 108;
quitters and runaways, 209–10;
relationship between officers and, 85, 107–8;
reward system for, 74, 114–15;
security posture, 142–43;
treatment of by officers, 108–9;
trust of, 82;
undisciplined firepower, 91–92, 131, 231;
willingness to fight, 39;
wounding of during combat patrol, 131–34.
See also Iraqi army (IA); pay system
Juwad, 93, 149–51, 155–57
Kaffijiya, 35–36, 44–47
Karim, 60
Kasem, Sergeant Major, 83, 109
Kelley, Sergeant, 126–29, 130–33, 139–40
Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR):
chow halls, 10, 56, 57–58;
lounge, 9
Krazes, 30
Krissoff, Nate “Natedawg,” 3–4, 212–13
Kumamoto, Japan, 3
“Kurdish pride” bug, 228
Kusay, Lieutenant, 170–71
Kuwait, 8, 9, 239, 240
Lawrence, T. E., 194
lazimus maximus, 74
Le Gette, Marco:
explosion near Camp Ali, 239;
Haditha FOB, duty at, 148;
intelligence briefing, late arrival for, 5;
patrol operations, schedule for, 170–71;
pressure washers, need for, 68–69;
walk to Kuwaiti market, 240
leadership: by example, 74–75;
respect for enlisted men, 109
leave for jundi: accountability numbers, 75–76;
amount allowed, 51;
convoys, attacks on, 201–2, 211–12;
convoys, routes for, 212;
extended leave and AWOL jundi and officers, 207–10;
greetings following, 58–59;
leave run process, 51–54, 58–61;
restrictions, 84;
Route Bronze convoys, 54–56, 59–61, 149–52
Lebanon, 224
Leyland transport trucks, 30
lion analogy, 224, 225
Lovejoy, Owen, 31–32, 35
lunch with jundi, 75
Lynch, Private, First Class, 130–33, 135
Mahdi army, 189–90, 215
Majid, Operation Al, 237–38
man love, 92–94
Manning, Steven, 3, 4
Mark (interpreter), 83, 108–9, 111–13, 152, 189–90, 228–31
Martin (interpreter):
bridge IED, 149, 150–51;
character of, 165;
command wire mother lode, 154;
detainees, treatment of, 135–36, 137;
escape from Iraq, conversation about, 228;
generator maintenance man, 129;
history of Iraq, 65–66;
runaway jundi, 209;
shotgun, antique, 165;
Water Treatment Facility combat control base, 122, 126
Mawfood, Captain, 126, 128, 129, 135, 144–45
McCloud, Joseph Trane, 214
McGinnis, James “Doc”:
bridge IED, 152, 153;
Chameleons, effectiveness of, 232–33;
children begging from, 60;
convoy operations, 164;
detainees injured in IED attack, 156;
generator building COC, 125;
generator maintenance man, 129;
glove request from Castro, 211;
leave convoy, attack on, 202;
MiTT replacement team, assessment of, 232–33;
motorcycle crash, 123–24;
on Mark’s competence, 152;
PT gear to shower, 16;
revenge fire on vehicle, 191;
rock formation for aiming IEDs, 154;
swimming in Euphrates River, 70;
walk to Kuwaiti market, 240;
Water Treatment Facility combat control base, 122
McMonigal, Andrew “Mac,” 220
McShane, Captain, 24, 59, 102, 119–20, 166, 201
meals, ready-to-eat (MREs), 87
media reports, accuracy of, 214–15, 217
meetings, timing of, 36
military transition team (MiTT):
accommodations at camp, 28;
advantages over Army adviser teams, 19–20;
arrival at camp, 27–28;
assignment to, 4;
camp at Asad Airbase, 57, 58;
duties as embedded military advisers, 6, 159;
experience of members of, 5;
IED attack on, 17;
Iraqi army, focus shift of training, 169;
Iraqi army, reality of working with, 23;
leadership of, 33;
leave run duties, 51–54;
liaison meeting with Cooling, 32–34;
motivation of members, 5, 22–23;
Nimer operation planning, 120;
predeployment gear list, 6;
relationship between members, 240;
replacement team, 231–33, 235;
resources for, 28–29; slush fund, 78;
training for, 16–23, 34
military-only roads, 50, 54, 192
militias, 189–90, 207
Mofak, 177
Mohammed (Serman’s friend), 203
Mohammed, Captain, 170–71
Mohammed, Mr., 86
Moody (interpreter):
American policy in Iraq, 66–67;
Barwana market transactions, 80;
beatings, 99–100;
combat patrol, 130–33;
escape from Iraq, conversation about, 228;
honesty of, 83;
laziness of Iraqis, explanation of, 187–89;
pay system operations, 94–95;
sniper attack, 133;
tribalism in Iraq, 97–99;
violence for solving politics and policy, 113–14;
Water Treatment Facility combat control base, 122
Morales, Peter, 56
Morgan, Lance Corporal, 220
mortar attacks, 11–12, 202
motivational (moto) tattoo, 220
motorcycle crash, 123–24
MREs (meals, ready-to-eat), 87
Muhammad, 42–43, 47
Muhanned, Captain, 31, 60
Muslih, Hussein, 215
Najaf, 52, 54
Naji, Warrant Officer, 83–84
Najib, Captain, 44, 45, 47–48
Natham, Captain, 59, 107–8, 192, 193
Nayim, Sergeant Major, 109
Nihad, Captain, 74–75, 86
Nimer (Tiger), Operation:
briefing following raid, 129;
combat patrol, 125–34, 140–43;
convoy through Haditha, 121–24;
defensive perimeter around control base,143–45;
detainees, treatment of, 134–40;
generator building COC, 125, 129–30;
motorcycle crash, 123–24;
nap schedule, 125;
number of jundis involved in, 121;
operation plan, 121;
pace of patrolling, 147;
planning for, 119–20;
portable toilet kit, 147–48;
sniper attacks, 131–33;
Water Treatment Facility combat control base, 122, 124–25;
Water Treatment Facility, departure from, 148;
wounding of jundi during combat patrol, 131–34
oil, 66–67, 190
Okinawa, Japan, 3, 213
Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) team, 29
palm groves, 128–29, 140, 147, 223
patrol operations: Nimer (Tiger), Operation, 125–34, 140–43;
>
number of patrols, 171;
schedule for, 170–71
pay system: corruption in, 94–96;
pay punishment, 84;
pay rates, 42, 64, 76, 94–95, 188–89;
payday, 82–85;
problems with, 81–82, 85–86;
trust and, 82
personal health, maintenance of, 20–21
personal locator beacon (PLB), 16–17
Philippines, 3–4, 213
phone sex, 184–86
photo album, 63–64, 146
Pitts, Captain, 91
POGs, 56
portable toilet kit, 147–48
PRC-148 radios, 16
pressure washers, 68–69
pressure-plate IEDs (PPIEDs), 17, 49–50, 51, 54
propaganda packet, 146
punishment system, 84–85, 108
Pyle, Major, 6, 9, 101, 109, 162, 186–87, 209–10, 217, 232
Qadisiyah, Lake, 28, 173–76, 213–15
Qasem, 86
Qatan, 69–70, 189
Qutaiba, 204–6, 219
radio-controlled IEDs (RCIEDs), 49, 50–51
Ramadi, 52, 78
rank structure, 243
Rawah, 51, 209
religious beliefs of Marines, 193–94
Resgar, 136–37, 181
REST, 40
revenge, 97–99, 191–93, 197–98
Rial, Ahmed, 77
Riath, 192
River Gate, Operation, 217–18
Robeson, Mastin, 3
Route Boardwalk: ambush
near market, intelligence about, 146–47;
combat patrol, 125–34, 141–43, 145–47;
motorcycle crash, 123–24;
palm grove off of, 128–29, 140, 147
Route Bronze, 54–56, 59–61, 149–53
Route Phoenix, 233
Route Raptors, 192
Route Uranium, 54
Sadr, Muqtada Al, 189
Sa’ed, 195–96
SAFE, 39–40
Salah, 174
Salazar, Corporal, 195
salty dogs, 5
Samir, 60, 74, 75, 130
sand spider competitions, 20–21
scorpion fight competitions, 20–21
Secher, Rob, 202
security posture, 142–43
Seif, Lieutenant, 186–87 201
Sermen: Baghdad, violence in, 202–4;
bridge IED, 149–51;
command wire mother lode, 155;
driving style of, 107–8;
hatred for Americans, 204;
insurgents, information about, 64;
militias, participation in, 189;
water truck, breakdown of, 233
sexual issues:
enjoyable marriage,182–83;
Horny Hameed, 183–84;
man love, 92–94;
phone sex, 184–86;
sex education, 181–82
Shaban, Colonel, 55, 60
sheepherders, 55, 151–52
sheiks, tribal:
control of population by, 114;
deal-making with Marines, 238;
relationship with insurgents, 114, 238
Shia Muslims, 19, 52, 220
Shlessinger, Corporal, 201
shotgun, antique, 165
snipers, 41, 64, 131–33, 202
South Dam Village, 28, 170, 231
springbutts, 24
Sudanese engineers, 236
Sunni Muslims, 19, 238
Super Stallion helicopters, 27, 239
supply issues, 73, 74–75, 77–78
Surefire light, lost, 211
swahuts, 29–30
Sweden, escape to, 228–31
tattooed inside lip, 220
terrorists’ celebration of September 11, 119
toilet kit, portable, 147–48
top-secret weapon, 63–64, 146
torture, 134–40
Trejos, Nancy, 215
tribalism, 96–99, 109, 196–99
Tseen, Captain, 82–84, 85–86, 94–95
United States: crisis in Iraq, responsibility for, 223–25;
hatred for Americans, 204;
Iraqis’ feelings about American
invasion, 111–13;
life in, 105;
media reports, accuracy of, 215, 217;
situation in Iraq, understanding of, 227;
wealth in, Iraqi perception, 60, 87, 236
U.S. Air Force, 240
U.S. Army: Camp Taji, 15;
Camp Victory, 10;
embedded adviser mission, 19–20;
failure to help Marines, 240;
militia checkpoint in Baghdad, 203;
security of bases run by, 17
U.S. Army Special Forces, 17–18, 34, 47–48, 141–43
U.S. Marine Corps:
battle decision-making process, 32;
casualties and leadership decisions, 33;
infantrymen, 148;
insurgent attack on Marine combat outpost, 6;
lists, 6;
living forever and, 213;
rank structure, 243;
religious beliefs of Marines, 193–94;
salty dogs, 5;
springbutts, 24
U.S. Marine Corps, 1st Marines, 3rd Battalion, 33, 217
U.S. Marine Corps, 3rd Marines, 2nd Battalion (2/3), 113, 121, 193, 217–18
U.S. Marine Corps, 3rd Marines, 3rd Battalion (3/3), 28, 32–34, 113, 121
U.S. Marine Corps, 3rd Regment, 5–6, 7
Valle, Daniel “V,” 101–5
violence for solving politics and policy, 113–14
wadi, crossing water-filled, 33
war, ethics standard in, 138
wasta, 70
waste and abuse in Iraq, 16–17, 235–36
Wazes, 30
weapons, 43–44, 112
Wear, Staff Sergeant, 29, 35
Weeks, Elliot, 213–14
wife beating, 89–91, 92
Wilkenson, Staff Sergeant, 23–25
women, conversations about, 42–43, 67–68
Yama Sukura war games, 3
Yasser, escape from Iraq by, 228–31
Zilmer, Rick, 161
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
After a four-year “sabbatical” as an active-duty U.S. Marine officer, Wesley R. Gray returned to the University of Chicago Booth School of Business to finish his Ph.D. dissertation. He also serves as a portfolio manager and managing member of Empirical Finance, LLC. In his spare time, Wes enjoys sports and manual labor.
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