MAJ Donald Johnson served as the assistant operations officer (S3) and a military advisor to the Iraqi Army (IA) in Tikrit, Iraq during 2004 and 2005 and as company commander in West Rashid, Iraq during 2007 and 2008, both in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). In this December 2010 interview, MAJ Johnson discusses his duties as a military advisor before the formation of military transition teams (MiTTs), the high threat level in Tikrit during his time there, and the correspondingly high threat level in West Rashid. MAJ Johnson conclude his interview with the observation that "The surge was extremely helpful; it did make a big difference."

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