One of our duties in Baghdad is to escort the media through checkpoints. This photo was taken near one of those checkpoints. Spc. Pitcher arrived late but he’s learning his way around quickly.
My unit is lucky – our duties are undertaken in a relative environment of safety. We are not in constant danger, except from random mortars or perhaps a sniper.
The soldiers who man these checkpoints, both American and Iraqi, are frequently in harm’s way. They all have my admiration for doing a thankless and dangerous job and keeping good attitudes despite the danger.