An hour later, we began our aggressive decent into Baghdad International Airport (BIAP, pronounced By-Op). The landing pattern, a tight spiral, helped protect the plane from possible enemy fire. As the ramp was lowered, a young army sergeant sitting next to me said, “Game on, sir. Welcome to BIAP. Follow me and I'll show you where to get your gear from the pallet,” As we walked single file from the aircraft to the terminal, the group was quiet and alert. I could sense the imminent danger of a war zone.

Two days later, I boarded a Blackhawk helicopter. Strapped in and ready to go, the air crew gave final thumbs up to the pilots and manned the heavy machine guns mounted just behind the cockpit. As we lifted off, the two door-gunners rotated their heavy weapons on swivel mounts, scanning the ground below, searching for potential threats. I thought about how pilots and air crew do this routinely every day in a vastly professional manner. As volunteers, they are doing their jobs with an evident passion for the mission. As we traveled northwest of Baghdad over sprawling meadows and small farms, I was struck by the beauty of the Iraqi countryside. Then the Blackhawk made a sudden decent and landed in a very remote spot. It looked like a goat pasture. This was certainly not the developed base of Taji where I thought we were headed.

I tapped my army host, Major Randy Baucom from Dale City, Virginia, and over the racket mouthed: “Taji? Really?” He just smiled and said, “Mission plan changed. We've brought you out to one of our Coalition Outposts so you can see where the rubber really meets the road in this war.” Our destination was a Coalition Outpost (COP) located near the village of Al Raood, home of the U.S. Army 2nd Battalion – 5th Regiment, 1st Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division, more conveniently referred to as the 2-5 CAV.

The next day I witnessed firsthand the duties and endeavors of this particular COP manned by a company of U.S. Army personnel. They served as a forward force as called for in the new Counter Insurgency Manual, or what the ground troops refer proudly to as the Petraeus Doctrine.

I was particularly taken by the passion of the senior NCO of the unit to which I was attached — First Sergeant Erik Marquez, forty-two years old, from Walnut Creek, California. Marquez was a take-charge kind of guy who was proud to share with me every nook and cranny of his Coalition Outpost. He managed the construction of this forward operating position six months ago when tensions in Al Raood were so high that local villagers would not leave their homes. Marquez explained that four short months later, there was trade in the streets, children playing outdoors and farmers tending their crops and animals. A humble man, the First Sergeant said, “I am proud to know that I am making a difference, and that difference comes in the form of helping the Iraqis take back their homes, villages and lives.”

Self-sustaining in every way, the COP was equipped with its own mess tent with five cooks making chow using a mobile field kitchen that folds up into a trailer the size of a small family camper. Our brunch consisted of scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns and plenty of milk and orange juice. Later we visited the medical tent that serves as an emergency medical treatment facility, with four trauma beds and four additional beds, staffed by two medics and a physician's assistant. The medical team treats both American soldiers and local Iraqis, demonstrating another aspect of community effort by the Americans.

I had brought my American flag from home because a Navy SEAL friend advised it as a mandatory checklist item for travel. I did not have an exact plan for what I would do with it, but in a turn of fate, it played an important role in my trip. I told my hosts that I had our flag from home, thinking it could be briefly run up a pole at the COP. I learned that the U.S. military does not fly our colors in Iraq because the United States is not an occupying force. However, the soldiers asked if they might use my flag as a backdrop in an important ceremony scheduled that day. The ceremony was a reenlistment commitment by Sergeant Alen Alexander, an eight-year army veteran from Brooklyn, New York, who was reaffirming his oath and duties to the U.S. Army for an additional six years of service. With “hoo-ahhs” all around, my heart nearly busted out of my chest. Sergeant Alexander genuinely believes in the mission of the U.S. military and is dedicated to his role. In spite of the numerous deployments he will no doubt face over the next six years, he chose to remain on the team.

 Jim Carrier (2nd from right) with his hosts from the Army's 2/5 CAV

As our time together was nearing an end, First Sergeant Marquez reached over to his right shoulder and swiftly peeled away from its Velcro backing his unit patch featuring the iron horse of the 1st Cavalry Division. He said, “Thank you for coming out to visit me and my fellow warriors. I have worn this patch for the last fourteen months on this combat deployment, and I want you to have it.” I was speechless. Then as the Blackhawk lifted gently from the H-LZ of the COP, my heart thudded with pride for these courageous men and women who I had closely observed making a real difference for the Iraqi people.

Looking back at my initial arrival in the CPIC, I thought of the Swiss journalist who pulled me aside and asked, “May I offer you a bit of a heads-up before you go out there to your unit tomorrow? I don't want to offend you, but if you'd like to hear the real story, I am happy to tell you.” I said, “Sure. Any orientation would be great.” But I was thinking, “Uh-oh, this guy is just going to unload on me and tell me how fouled up the Americans are.” But putting his arm around my shoulder, he went on: “The facts are quite compelling and simple: The Americans have actually turned the page in Iraq in terms of security, and I am impressed by the brilliance of your General Petraeus.”

It's a story that the American people and our troops deserve to hear. I was honored as a common man to be able to thank so many of our uncommon heroes and shake their hands.

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