In this first of three interviews, Major Tom Chalkley, US Marine Corps, talks about his deployment to the Al Faw Peninsula in Iraq as the commander of Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines in October 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Chalkley discusses deploying as part of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit and as part of the first naval expeditionary strike group, how there was no thought at the time of Marines being a continuing presence in Iraq, and about Operation Sweeney as a counter to oil smuggling in the area south of Basra. He also talks about how communications were the biggest challenge throughout the operation, how the smugglers used bird trainers as lookouts, and how the smugglers avoided detection by just laying low until the operation was over. Chalkley closes his interview by saying that you have to learn how to accomplish your mission with limited assets and capabilities.

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