Our mission was simple, "deploy to Iraq for twelve months to train the Iraqi National Police (INP)," or so we thought during training and preparation at Fort Riley, Kansas. The 3-7-2 National Police Transition Team (NPTT) consisted of one LTC, one E-8, (OIC and NOIC), two Majors, two Captains, three E-7s and two E-6s. We called ourselves the 'Team Extreme.' Each member of the team was assigned primary duties ranging from S1 to S4, but also needed to serve as gunner, driver, TC, or whatever was needed to accomplish the mission. The mission we trained for over a period of sixty days did not prepare us for the "Task, Conditions, and Standards," we would face during our twelve month deployment.

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