In this interview, MAJ Michael McBride, US Army, Finance Corps; discusses his 15 month deployment to Iraq with 2nd BCT of the 1st Armor Division in 2003 through 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). MAJ McBride discusses his pre-deployment training at Fort Riley and how it prepared him for deployment. MAJ McBride shares his experience with changing command two months after arriving in country. MAJ McBride describes some of his day-to-day missions with patrolling and working with the neighborhood advisory council (NAC). MAJ McBride talks about some difficult challenges he overcame when finding out that his unit was going to be extended a few months past initial 12 months and closes his interview by stating, “The relationships you can build in an area are going to be key to your ability to gain trust and gather information.”

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited