MAJ Jay Anson served as signal company commander of Charlie Company, 277th Aviation Support Battalion (ASB), 10th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) at Contingency Operating Base (COB) Speicher during 2008 and 2009 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). In this April 2010 interview, MAJ Anson discusses the challenges of keeping communications equipment operational in a desert environment, combating complacency in his Soldiers during a period of low threat in the operation, and describes in detail some of the methods of transporting sensitive signal equipment. MAJ Anson concludes his interview with the observation, "I think what really paid dividends was that going into command in April 2007, I knew I was looking at 17 months. I really mapped out with my senior leadership in the company, my first sergeant, our plan to train not only signal but also the sustainment piece over those 17 months. We just took it in three month chunks. We'd reassess and ask, 'What do we need to concentrate on?'"

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited