Major Robin Lau, a National Guardsman from Hawaii, served on a military transition team (MiTT) in Salah ad Din Province from January 2005 through January 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lau begins this interview by noting that the MiTT he served on was atypical, resourced to a high level by a National Guard brigade deployed to Iraq and very well supported by the unit that owned their area of operations. While describing a real cultural difference, he says that, as Hawaiians, they had the advantage of relatively similar cultural values and physical features that were very near those of the average Iraqi soldier in 4th Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division - the unit his MiTT was assigned to. Lau proudly states that by the time his MiTT left, their Iraqi unit had successfully conducted four or five battalion-level operations, led by the Iraqis with Americans only supporting and advising. He also explains that, while not operating to American standards they were quite effective because they could read and write the language, knew the local area, its situation and its people, and enjoyed the confidence of the populace as fellow Iraqis. Lau repeatedly states that establishing trust with your Iraqi counterpart is the single biggest factor in successfully accomplishing your mission on a MiTT. He closes by stating that he entered the MiTT with reservations but, on reflection, he found it one of best assignments ever and would readily accept a new opportunity to be on a MiTT again.

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