From January 2005 through January 2006, Major Chris Shields served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as an assistant effects coordinator in the 3rd Infantry Division's fires and effect cell, in which he oversaw and managed all counterfire operations in the division area of operations that included Baghdad and the surrounding territory. Based at Camp Liberty on the Victory Base complex in Baghdad, he managed 11 counterfire radars and moved assets such as close air support, attack aviation, counterfire and area denial fires. Major events included the October and November 2005 Iraqi national elections and numerous division and brigade named operations. "What's important to note is that, at the time," Shields explained, "indirect fire caused only four percent of the casualties in the coalition. Based off that, the division commander told us right at the beginning that we were not the priority for his assets. There were things that were killing a lot more soldiers than indirect fire. Yes, it was a big harassment thing and it hit the news, but vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, suicide bombers and snipers were more important." According to Shields, during their year they didn't kill any enemy with counterfire but did succeed in significantly reducing indirect fire attacks against the International Zone and US positions by over 60 percent. In addition, he speaks very highly of his work with the Air Force, discusses what he calls the use of "non-lethal, kinetic options," using contracted working dogs to track indirect fire attacks, why he wished the fires and effects cell had had a quick reaction force under its control, the results of test firing the new guided multiple launch rocket system (GMLRS) round, and the importance of relying heavily on your warrant officers. Shields also comments on the rules of engagement his cell operated under and says that, in his opinion, they were too restrictive. "It's the American tendency to not want to hurt anybody's feelings, even though we're conducting a war," he said. "If you look at the Arab mentality, they understand force and they understand who's the toughest guy on the block. Because of our restrictions," Shields continued, "sometimes we wouldn't fire back at them and that just made us look weak in their eyes. They would just continue to shoot at us from different spots with their rockets and mortars, all the while laughing at us and saying, 'Look at the Americans. They don't have any backbone; they're not shooting back at us.'"

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