Captain Shawn O'Brien served as commander for the 551st Transportation Company, 6th Transportation Battalion, 7th Transportation Group in the areas of Cedar, Tallil, BIAP and Fallujah in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from February 2003 until July 2003. Once O'Brien took command in November 2002, the company started predeployment training and preparation to transport the equipment they needed and would not receive via prepositioned stocks. O'Brien looks back at the predeployment training that was very useful and comments on the training he would have added. The movement over and receiving the prepositioned equipment was smooth. The cargo transfer company spent about a month in Kuwait before making the movement into Iraq. During that time, the soldiers focused on learning to drive the vehicles they fell in on and moving containers around for other units without the capability. The company then made the movement into Iraq and initially stopped at Tallil Airbase. O'Brien placed his platoon leaders at several different locations and maintained contact with them. He talks about the different challenges having his company broken up throughout the entire deployment to support the 3rd Infantry Division. O'Brien discusses the support he received and how it changed during the course of this deployment. The 551st had one embedded reporter that crossed into Iraq with the company, interviewed a few of the soldiers and then jumped to another unit moving north towards more of the fighting. When it was time to redeploy, there was no handoff or replacing company. O'Brien offers his lessons learned and recommendations based on this deployment. During this deployment, there was not a strong desire for people to be a part of the family readiness group.

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