In this second of interviews, Major Royal Ripley discusses his deployment to Baghdad, Iraq, as a member of the communications staff for Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq from April through October 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He talks about how his deployment date was moved back because they did not have any housing available, how the Coalition Provisional Authority was a dysfunctional organization, and how he worked with various contractors to reestablish communications throughout Iraq. Ripley also discusses his extensive interaction with the Iraqi Ministry of Communications and their army's communication staff, how no one had clear authority to do anything, and why cultural awareness is so important to mission success. He closes by stating that the Army needs to ensure minimum cultural awareness and language skills before soldiers are deployed.

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