In support initially of Operation Desert Spring and then Operation Iraqi Freedom from October 2002 through July 2003, Sergeant Major Kevin Gainey was the analysis and control element (ACE) noncommissioned officer in charge for the 3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Stewart, Georgia. His division intelligence support element represented a major portion of his ACE that was supporting the 2nd Brigade Combat Team for the 3rd Infantry Division, and was responsible for compiling and generating collected intelligence for reporting or follow-on actions for the entire country of Iraq. A major challenge for him was going from being trained to fight a conventional war and analyze intelligence in that manner and then immediately into a stability and support operations environment that they weren't prepared to do. He also implies that evidence of weapons of mass destruction were found but does not elaborate. Following the ground war, the ACE was moved to Baghdad International Airport. From here Gainey touches on the challenge of identifying the political power structures that exist in Iraq. Part of the intelligence analysis performed included a review of certain personalities or groups. It was a challenge to try to determine political or tribal allegiances and if someone was therefore trustworthy or corrupt. Then, he had to determine if they were getting outside support from another country and, if so, whether it was Iran, Syria or elsewhere. His team would build target folders and provide that to stakeholders who actually needed the information to help them make those decisions on who they could deal with and who they couldn't trust. Gainey is very confident in what he knew about Iraqi culture and religion before the war and thereafter with no recognized need for him to learn more. He also shares his frustration with media reporting in Iraq and discusses his experiences with high-value targets, the operational plan for the ground war and anticipated reactions to problems. Finally, Gainey explains that we need to be more prepared to go from Phase III to Phase IV next time and will be because we have lessons learned from this experience.

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