Before my unit headed back to Iraq for our second deployment, our battalion commander restructured our set up to meet the more unique demands of counter-insurgency. Rather than having our Weapons Company set up with anti-armor and heavy mortar platoons, we were combined into a more traditional infantry company with heavy weapons, since we were no longer fighting a conventional war nor had a conventional mission. I would be assigned to the 2nd squad in MAP 3, radio callsign MAP 3 Bravo.
MAP 3 at ECP 5 near Fallujah
Before my unit headed back to Iraq for our second deployment, our battalion commander restructured our set up to meet the more unique demands of counter-insurgency. Rather than having our Weapons Company set up with anti-armor and heavy mortar platoons, we were combined into a more traditional infantry company with heavy weapons, since we were no longer fighting a conventional war nor had a conventional mission. I would be assigned to the 2nd squad in MAP 3, radio callsign MAP 3 Bravo.
We would be assigned Fallujah as our primary area of operations, one of the larger cities in Iraq. There were approximately 200,000 civilians that lived in the city. We would also be patrolling the surrounding areas including Zidon, the highway that leads to Baghdad until you reach Abu Gharaib, and the road leading up to Ramadi until you reached Taqqadum Air Base. The city of Fallujah itself would be split between our battalion and 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines.
We left the United States on July 4th, 2005, less than one year since we had come home the first time. This deployment, I would be leaving behind a pregnant wife that I had only been married to for a little more than six months, my girlfriend from high school. We were wed after I had returned from the first deployment in December and had only been living together since May of 2005. She was only about 8 weeks pregnant when I had to say goodbye. I would only be able to attend one appointment with her to hear the first heartbeat.
