A Missouri National Guardsman, Major Michael Kitchens served with the 40-member 135th Rear Operations Center at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, for 10 months, beginning in May 2003. In his force protection unit, Kitchens monitored and analyzed intelligence reports and conducted a wide range of vulnerability assessments. "Being a trained intel guy," Kitchens observed, "you need the ability to read between the lines and … be able to paint a good picture for the commander. That's an art," he added, "not a science." Based on his intelligence assessments, Kitchens made force protection recommendations for Camp Arifjan, the Kuwaiti Naval Base, and also for main supply routes. Upon arriving in theater, the unit found considerable confusion regarding force protection doctrine - "They didn't really have a good handle on the chain of command and who was in charge … of making force protection decisions" - so he put together a force protection chart that was briefed to LTG David McKiernan, the CFLCC commander, and implemented for theater-wide use. In this interview, Kitchens also discusses the challenges of working with multi-service chains of command and in a multi-cultural environment; the importance of following established Army doctrine; implications of the heavy Guard and Reserve presence in OIF; the crucial contributions of the NCO corps; the limitations of Family Readiness Groups; and the positive public support U.S. soldiers received. About leadership, Kitchens said: “You never can predict what soldiers will flourish and do well and which ones will become paralyzing influences. It’s people you don’t expect quite frankly.”

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