Embedded (43 page)

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