Major Carlos Platero of the El Salvadoran Army deployed to Iraq with the Cuscatlan Battalion for a six-month rotation in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. From 13 February 2005 until 23 August 2005, this battalion was a part of the Multinational Division (MND) based at Camp Echo in Diwaniyah. Platero served as the civil projects liaison officer in the civil-military operations cell at the MND. The Cuscatlan Battalion with 380 infantry and civil affairs soldiers assumed responsibility for reconstruction projects in southern Babil Province. A Polish Division was the El Salvadoran battalion's coalition higher headquarters in Iraq. The battalion executed 85 projects worth almost three million dollars. The El Salvadoran teams dealt mainly with the Iraqis themselves to coordinate and execute these reconstruction projects. Such face-to-face cooperation necessitated sensitivity to the differences in culture. Platero recalled some security issues delaying but not stopping some projects. From a deployment via contract air through their contractor-provided support on the forward operating base, operations went smoothly for the Cuscatlan Battalion. El Salvador's minister of defense visited this battalion during its rotation. The El Salvadoran Army handled family readiness and support issues for the soldier's dependents. There were some applied doctrinal issues that required resolution during Platero's deployment. These issues arose from the differences between US Army's civil-military assistance and NATO's civil-military cooperation. Such differences did not derail any reconstruction work but served to demonstrate to the Cuscatlan Battalion the need to develop and teach a doctrine for military civic action appropriate to their army.

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