I am a gunner in Iraq. I see this country from the turret of my MRAP, the stegosaurus of trucks; double thick armor plating, window thickness measured in inches; a veritable fortress on a mobile mountain that I defend.

I work in Mohmoudiya, Iraq on a Military Transition Team (MiTT), otherwise known as the "exit strategy". We are 11 soldiers living on an Iraqi Army post with a mission to ensure the readiness of an Iraqi Army Brigade. We're a hodge-podge of branchs and personalities; Armor, Field Artillery, Adjutant General, Engineer, Transportation, Infantry, Medical, Signals, Military Intelligence. We each bring a skill to the team to help ensure the 25th IA Brigade can defend the country.

As the Military Intelligence advisor, I am tasked with coaching the IA Brigade S2 (intelligence office) on analysis and dissemination of enemy actions; past, present and future.

For the next ten months, I'll be documenting the events in the lives of the 25th IA BDE MiTT.