Major John Vernick, an Active Guard Reserve officer serving with the 98th Division (Institutional Training), was the division's mobilization officer as they deployed to and from Iraq in 2004-2005. As the mobilization officer, Vernick was privy to the ebb and flow of discussions about concept, mission and scope, reporting that initial alert they received from the Department of the Army declared that that all 3,600 soldiers would deploy, but further reflection eventually watered down the requirement to 700 soldiers. A major issue arose when, instead of using seven derivative unit identification codes (DUICs) for the deployment as Vernick recommended, 125 DUICs were created which made in-theater accountability extremely difficult. Additionally, no cohesion was maintained within this multitude of DUICs as soldiers were scattered across Iraq, making the problem worse. According to Vernick, "So against Army policy, First Army cut orders that split DUICs, so you had splits within a DUIC going to different training sites. It was a nightmare." Among other problems, some soldiers slated to deploy were not allowed to because the Lautenberg Amendment forbade them from carrying a weapon. There was also an ongoing issue with communications, wherein deployed soldiers would send information to the families faster than the official channels could, causing several problems when incorrect casualty reporting caused a furor among the unit's families. Vernick also notes that different mobilization centers processed soldiers back into the United States at different rates, causing frustration with Reserve soldiers who wanted to get home. Overall, he feels the deployment was successful and that overcoming numerous obstacles was just part of the challenge. Vernick recommends to others in similar circumstances "to mobilize units as units. It maintains integrity and accountability and provides for better family support," he said. "That would also eliminate the rumors I mentioned and the concerns of family members, when they themselves become a family and get to know one another." He closes the interview by saying that the 98th Division was able to accomplish its multifaceted Iraqi training and advisory mission because of leadership and individual commitment.

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