overwatch. Position from which to observe enemy activity or protect friendly maneuver.
PLB. Personal locater beacon.
POG. People other than grunts, a derogatory term for nonactive combat participants.
PPIED. Pressure-plate IED.
PT. Physical training.
PTT. Police Transition Team.
QRF. Quick reaction force.
RCIED. Radio-controlled IED.
RIP. Relief in place.
RPG. Rocket-propelled grenade.
SAPI. Small-arms protective insert.
seven-ton. Marine troop transport vehicle.
SOP. Standard operating procedure.
terps. Short for interpreter.
VBIED. Vehicle-borne IED.
wadi. Dried riverbed.
wasta. Clout, or the ability to get things done in the eyes of Arabs.
XO. Executive officer.
INDEX
Abass, Coloneclass="underline" appearance of, 34–35;
competence of, 35;
construction at Camp Ali, 219;
decision-making process, 32;
dinner with, 89–92;
explosives in Camp Ali, 215;
freedom and democracy for Iraq, 223–25;
influence of, 35;
jundis’ trust of, 82;
leave period, return from, 209;
lecture on dealing with Arab men, 47–48;
mission planning brief with, 35;
old Iraqi army, motivation of, 188;
pay rate, 64;
payday, 82;
police colonel, meeting with, 45–46;
relationship with Special Forces, 47–48;
reward system for jundi, 114–15;
sheepherder, IED warning to, 151–52;
weapons, confiscation of, 43–44
Abass, Lieutenant, 154, 201
Abdulhaddi, 174
Abdulrachman, 59, 75–76, 195–96, 209
Abdulredha, Lieutenant, 162–65, 167
Abit, 92–93, 170
Abu Hyatt, 28, 164
Adams, Rob: Baghdadi compound, 166;
Bani Dahir operations, 43–44;
calculating risk of death, 58;
explosion near Camp Ali, 239;
family of, 6, 8;
food for Iraqis, 76, 79–80;
gear, stashing extra, 6;
IED training, thoughts on, 25;
jogging with WG, 181;
Nimer operation planning, 120;
reassurance of family of, 6, 8;
red air and dead body escort, 102;
supply issues, 73, 74–75;
Surefire light, lost, 211;
walk to Kuwaiti market, 240
Adams, Sam, 6, 8
Adams, Virginia, 8
Ahmed, 182–83, 197–98
Ahmed (S-1 clerk), 94–95, 97
Ahmed, Captain, 134
Ahmed, Lieutenant, 161, 201, 218–19
Ali (jundi): Arabic name for WG, 64;
Barwana market security, 79;
picture with Iraqi children, 146;
religious beliefs of Marines, 193;
supplies, hauling, 74;
wounding of during combat patrol, 131–34
Ali, Ahmed, 171
Ali, Hussein, 101–2, 104–5
Ali, Lieutenant Colonel, 32, 84, 109, 182
ambush near market, intelligence about, 146–47
Amir, 68, 76–77
Anbar Province, Aclass="underline" government
spending in, 220;
supply convoys, pirating of, 77–78;
violence in, 227. See also Haditha
Triad
angel escort, 101–5, 191–92
Arab culture. See Iraqi and Arab
culture
Arab media, 214–15
Arabic language skills, 16, 31, 41, 73, 83, 145–47
Arabic name, 64–65
Arabs, trust between, 190
Arafat, Yasser, 12
Asad Airbase, Aclass="underline" accommodations at, 56–58;
chow halls, 56, 57–58;
food distribution from, 76–77;
leave run process, 51–54, 58–59, 61;
road leading to, 56
Ayad: combat patrol, 145–47;
IED on bridge, 165–66;
jailing of male relatives, 196–98;
man love, 93–94;
militias, participation in, 189;
picture with Iraqi children, 146
babystitting Iraqis, 67–68
Badr, 189
Baghdad: disparity between rich and poor, 13;
flight over, 12–13;
flight to, 9–10;
militia checkpoint in, 203;
political bickering, 219–20;
violence in, 202–4, 207
Baghdadi: candy and toys for kids, 55–56;
conditions in, 55, 56;
control of, 55;
engineering company, violence against, 204–6;
IED attack near, 155–57;
leave run process, 52, 60;
payday in, 85
Bailey, Jamar, 174, 175
Ballard, Dan, 212
Bani Dahir, 28, 35, 36, 39–44
banking system, 112
Barak, 60
Barney-style explanations, 49
Barwana, 28;
convoy to, 233;
Hungry Tiger, Operation, 79–80;
IED attack threat, 54;
leave run process, 54, 61;
meeting with area leaders, 218–19;
mortar attack on, 191–93;
payday in, 85;
security in market, 79–80
Bassam, General, 82
Bayati, Ibraheem al-, 215
beatings, 89–91, 92, 99–100
begging problem, 60–61, 194–96, 236
Bill (interpreter), 231–32
Black Hawk helicopters, 12–13
Blanchard, 127–29
blimps, 10
blood money, 97–99, 197–98
bloodlust, 191–93
Brewer, Jeff, 212
bridge IED, 149–54, 165–66
Bullock, Major, 22–23
Bush, George W., 34, 78, 209
Camp Ali: accommodations at, 29–30;
chow hall, 30–31;
construction at, 219–20, 235–36;
explosion near, 239;
explosives, 215;
IED threat near, 232;
layout of, 29–31;
leave run process, 52–54, 61;
location of, 29;
Marine guard for, 29;
motor transportation lot, 30;
return to from Haditha, 148;
runaway jundi, 209–10;
shower area, 30; size of, 29;
terrorists’ celebration of September 11, 119;
wasted efforts and resources at, 235–36;
wire fencing around, 69
Camp Fallujah, 23–24
Camp Taji: amenities at, 15;
Behemoth in charge of, 15–16;
flight to, 12–13;
hoarding supplies, 78;
IA camp, 15;
janitor at, 16;
PT gear to shower, 15–16;
training at, 16–23
Camp Victory: amenities at, 10;
blimps over, 10;
civilians in, 11;
mortar attacks on, 11–12;
motivation and length of time in, 11;
people watching in, 11;
security of, 10;
transient tent life, 11;
weapons carried in, 10
Casey, George, 19
Castro, Corporal, 211
cell phones, 25
Chameleons, 18, 34, 51, 59–60, 232–33
Chessani, Jeffrey, 113–14
Chestnutt, Jonathan “Nuts”:
Baghdadi compound, 166;
bridge IED, 150;
Camp Taji, 13;
combat patrol, 126–29, 135;
command wire mother lode, 154;
dead body, handling of, 102;
Egyptian insurgents operation, 174, 175, 176;
on Mark’s competence, 152;
Water Treatment Facility combat control base, 122
children: begging of, 60–61;
candy and toys for kids, 46, 55–56;
insurgent ambush, intelligence about, 146–47;