Captain Chad Roehrman deployed with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment to Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of their S3 shop, later taking command of Dragon Company in June 2003. This interview deals primarily with his experiences immediately before and during Operation Rifles Blitz in the Al Qaim border region in November 2003. He describes the general situation in Al Qaim saying, "Since it historically was a smuggling route … the insurgents were fighting back and trying to get their routes opened up again" by using frequent attacks with small arms, rocket-propelled grenades and improvised explosive devices. Roehrman added that, "We didn't have any Iraqi security forces that were worth a hoot at that time," leaving the security situation in American hands. He speaks at length about the advantages and disadvantages of operating tanks in an urban environment. Offensively, if his unit was shot at with RPGs, "We were going to return fire with a 120 millimeter high-explosive anti-tank round." In addition to the firepower provided by their main guns, the insurgents were surprised by its use, even going so far as to think that elements of the Polish Army had replaced the US cavalrymen. According to Roehrman, "The best thing it offered us was added protection," pointing out the increasing lethality of the enemy's IEDs. He also identified their own inability to fire at a building's upper stories or move through many of the narrow streets as the two largest handicaps of employing tanks in urban areas. What's more, he mentions that the surest indicator of enemy activity was the presence or absence of children on the streets. He notes that the larger mission in nearby Husaybah was to remove insurgents and capture their weapons and, as a tank unit, "We didn't have a strong dismounted capability," calling that "our biggest drawback." He also praises the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry, which was attached to 3rd ACR for Rifles Blitz: "The greatest thing was the fact that they brought their dismounted expertise which was something we didn't have." He judges Rifles Blitz a success, explaining: "I think the reason it was quiet was because we had basically disrupted them to the point where they couldn't do anything." Roehrman concludes the interview by stating that the greatest lesson learned he took from the operation was the value of maintaining an offensive mindset even when given a defensive mission.

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