In this interview with three Pennsylvania National Guardsmen, Specialist Joshua Navarra, an artilleryman for Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery, talks about his deployment to Iraq from March 2003 through August 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In this interview, they discuss notification, mobilization, predeployment training and the process of moving their units to the Middle East. Although all were in artillery units, all three soldiers' units were called on to perform the missions of military police, disconcerting many. They discuss the interaction they had with the Iraqi population, and although some of it was mixed, most of the contact was positive. They talk about the differences between the National Guard and the Regular Army, how the Regular Army views the National Guard, and what the National Guard brings to the fight in terms of capability. They close their interview by relating problems with the family readiness groups and the respect that comes with being a war veteran.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited