MSR Tampa from the air. The MSR is the Main Supply Route coming out of Turkey extending all the way to Badaq.

Mercenaries from in the parking lot of FOB Q-West only mess hall.

Richard McCarty served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War (approx. 1951-1953). After completing his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he was employed as a truck driver on base. Richard was assigned to be sent to Korea but was…

John Matt in 1984 in Marquette, Michigan. He grew up in Marquette and attended high school there and graduated in 2003. In November 2005 he enlisted in the Marines and attended boot camp at San Diego/Camp Pendleton and the School of Infantry at Camp…

Baltazar Martinez was born in Plainview, Texas, in 1952. He was one of the last people to be drafted into the Army in 1972. He trained as an armored cavalryman and was deployed to Vietnam toward the end of the year, but stayed only a few days before…

Looking up the ramp that lead down to the underground power plant at FOB Q-West.

Joseph Larner was born in Lansing, Michigan on September 29th, 1976. Joe decided to join the National Guard at the age of 29 in 2007. He trained as a combat engineer at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. Joe was assigned to the 507th Engineer Battalion. Joe…

Iraqi guards at the rear gate of FOB Q-West looking south. Notice how flat the terrain is and the lack of distinguishing features.

Iraqi civilians looking for work just outside the gate of FOB Q-West.

Iraqi cemetery along MSR Tampa between FOB Q-West and FOB Balad.

Iraqi ammo dump just outside the wire of FOB Q-West. Most of the bunkers are abandoned and people are living in some of them.

Interior of the living quarters at the airfield in Mosul (FOB Diamondback).