As part of the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team, Major Jeffrey Allen served as senior advisor to the 18th Battalion, New Iraqi Army, and leader of the advisor support team during roughly half of his August to December 2004 deployment in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Later, he transitioned to become the deputy team leader for 3rd Brigade, New Iraqi Army. By-name requested by General David Petraeus - then commander of the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq - in these capacities, Allen coached and mentored the Iraqi leadership "on all aspects of being a modern military, from how to organize a staff and how to prepare for and conduct training, to how to take care of their soldiers." Stationed at the Kirkush Military Training Base in eastern Iraq, he also worked closely with senior non-commissioned officers and junior mid-grade officers because he knew they would comprise the Iraqi Army's future leadership. Among the many challenges he faced were the difficulties of building and maintaining rapport; working with very little logistical support; trying to instill an appreciation for individual initiative and decentralized decision-making; and dealing with the frictions that resulted from multi-ethnic units. “’You have gained another family,’” Allen would tell the troops. “’You haven’t lost your family or your clan or your tribe that you’re a member of back home. They’re still there, but now you’ve gained another family.’” Although temped to take command on a “daily basis,” Allen nonetheless called this “the most rewarding experience I can possibly think of, being in Iraq.” In addition to discussing being forward with 3rd Brigade for operations in Fallujah in November and December of 2004, Allen also gives advice on how advisors such as himself could be better prepared to perform these kinds of training missions.

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