Major Joseph Chestnut was the leader of a 120-man task force serving as a tactical human intelligence team in Kirkuk and Tuz, Iraq, from December 2003 through February 2005 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In this interview, he talks about his ever-changing support relationship, the challenges of converting a counterintelligence unit into a human intelligence unit, the predeployment training his task force went through, and the priority intelligence requirements he worked to satisfy. He also discusses overcoming the lack of priority the intelligence community placed on human intelligence, the challenge of explaining human intelligence to those unfamiliar without appearing arrogant, the difficulties of navigating Iraq's tribal and sectarian divides, and the convenience of having an Iridium phone as unit equipment. He closes the interview by advising other leaders in human intelligence to set the example because the field is so demanding.

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