In this interview, MAJ Robert Tracy, US Army, Infantry discusses his deployment to Afghanistan as the joint operations center (JOC) night shift deputy shift director for 1st Cavalry Division Headquarters, Regional Command - East in 2011 through 2012 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). MAJ Tracy talks about his mission of command and control and resourcing for seven brigade combat teams (BCTs), including two multi-national brigades, and a couple of separate battalions. He discusses his specific responsibilities for reporting and battle tracking of more high-profile operations or larger scale operations that were going on at night, in addition to threat reports, significant activities, reports of enemy activity, and troops in contact report. He describes some challenges he faced and shares that he was on duty when the Koran burning incident flared. MAJ Morris closes his interview by stating, "From these three deployments, an important lesson is the importance of physical fitness for every Soldier . . . The ability of Soldiers to be able to maneuver through very difficult and rough terrain and have the endurance and stamina to be able to engage the enemy effectively. In some units in some parts of the Army it's still a big focus, but I think there are a lot of corners in the Army where that focus has eroded somewhat. I think it definitely should be a priority for everyone."

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