Operation Desert Storm, 1991

During Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Kraft served as a field surgeon with the 528th Support Battalion, supporting 5th Special Forces Group. The 528th provided transportation, supplies, ammunition, maintenance, and medical support, and supplied 5th SFG with ammunition as the group repeatedly exhausted its standard supply. Kraft recalled that his unit obtained AKs from dead Iraqi soldiers because ammunition for those weapons was easier to obtain in theater, and the 528th eventually obtained about 50,000 rounds of AK ammunition for coalition forces. Kraft provided medical care to the troops as the battalion’s field surgeon and received his second Combat Medical Badge for Desert Storm.^1,2

Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2005

Kraft returned to Iraq in 2005 as a public health officer, when he was approximately 60 years old. He provided medical care to U.S. troops and members of the Iraqi population, including detainees. Kraft was believed to have deployed with the 445th Civil Affairs Battalion, a California based unit headquartered in Mountain View, although his specific Civil Affairs assignment has not yet been confirmed.^6

Kraft also recalled being disappointed that he believed his Iraq service should have qualified him for a third Combat Medical Badge. He said he pursued the award, but the U.S. Army denied it.^6

Doc Kraft’s Non-GWOT service history:

Vietnam War, 1963–1966

Kraft entered the Army on September 17, 1963, as a 91B Medical Specialist with the 101st Airborne Division. He deployed to Vietnam in 1965 as an enlisted combat medic and received his first Combat Medical Badge.^1

Medical School, 1970s

After leaving active duty in 1966, Kraft remained in the Army Reserve as a 91B medical specialist through approximately 1970. He attended the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara medical school in Mexico, graduating in 1975, and later completed clinical training at UCSF.^2

El Salvador, 1984

During the Salvadoran Civil War, Soldier of Fortune magazine supported several private organizations that provided additional assistance to Salvadoran forces because the U.S. military was limited to 50 advisers at a time. One of those organizations was Refugee Relief International (RRII), which provided medical assistance in El Salvador.^3

Kraft joined RRII as a physician in 1984, taking part in medical treatment and helicopter MEDEVAC operations following fighting in Cabañas.^3

Operation Uphold Democracy, Haiti, 1994

Kraft was assigned to the 6235th USAH in Novato, California, before transferring to the 450th Civil Affairs Battalion in Riverdale, Maryland. He was called to active duty from September 14 through November 29, 1994, for Operation Uphold Democracy, serving as a Medical Corps/public-health officer with the 450th. A September 28, 1994 Los Angeles Times article independently identified him as Army Reserve Maj. Frederick Kraft, while he was serving in Port-au-Prince during the operation.^5

Author’s note:

Kraft passed away in 2025.

If you knew or served with Doc Kraft and have stories, photographs, or details about his service that could help fill in the blanks, please reach out to me. I realized after his death that I have even more questions about his military career than I did before.

Citations:

1: Frederick Bruce Kraft, partial DD-214 and military personnel records.

2:“Foreign Medical School Grads Claim California Licensing Rules Unfair,” Los Angeles Times, August 10, 1987.

3: “Refugee Relief International,” Soldier of Fortune, August 1984.

4: Christopher E. Howard, “Beyond the Numbers: The 528th Support Battalion in Operations DESERT SHIELD & DESERT STORM,” U.S. Army Special Operations Command History and Archives, May 2021.

5: Mark Fineman, “Guns-for-Cash Plan Runs Up Against Fear,” Los Angeles Times, September 28, 1994; U.S. Army, 450th Civil Affairs Battalion Lineage and Honors.

6: Frederick Bruce Kraft, deployment photographs shared by Kraft; telephone interview by Jeremy Albright, July 11, 2022.

The 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, known as the “Bowie Brigade,” deployed to Iraq in 2004 as part of the 1st Cavalry Division. The Arkansas National Guard brigade arrived in Iraq in March 2004 and operated mainly around Baghdad and Camp Taji.

The 39th arrived at a difficult time in the war. The insurgency was growing, and major fighting broke out across Iraq in the spring of 2004. The brigade was given responsibility for a large area north of Baghdad, much of it within the Sunni Triangle. Its mission was to help stabilize the area, protect major roads and bases, conduct patrols and raids, and work with Iraqi security forces.

The brigade’s area was one of the largest assigned to a brigade in Iraq at the time. Soldiers spent much of their deployment outside the wire, conducting patrols, convoy security, raids, and other combat missions. They also faced frequent mortar and rocket attacks on their bases.

The deployment came with a high cost. Thirty-three soldiers under the brigade’s command were killed, and more than 300 received Purple Hearts for combat wounds. Four Bowie Brigade soldiers received the Silver Star for valor.

For the 39th, the 2004–2005 deployment was very different from the short conventional war of 2003. By the time the brigade arrived, the mission had become a daily fight against an increasingly active insurgency. Serving under the 1st Cavalry Division, the 39th Infantry Brigade spent a year helping secure and stabilize one of the most difficult areas around Baghdad.

Lieutenant Colonel Paul G. Moses began his military career in 1980 as a U.S. Army Infantry officer, serving in mechanized and airborne assignments. He later held operations and training roles at the unit and staff level, including work with infantry and mortar units, before transitioning into the Army Reserve and later into Civil Affairs.

In 2005, as a Civil Affairs officer, he deployed to Afghanistan and served in the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT). During this period, Kandahar functioned as a joint civil-military hub focused on governance support, reconstruction coordination, and stabilization efforts. The PRT Civil Affairs element typically operated in small, highly integrated teams of roughly a dozen personnel, drawn from U.S. Army Reserve Civil Affairs units and task-organized under a higher Civil Affairs command structure. These teams were responsible for executing local governance engagement, coordinating infrastructure and public works projects such as schools and utilities, and working directly with Afghan provincial authorities and coalition partners to support stabilization objectives. Within this structure, he served as part of a forward Civil Affairs team supporting PRT operations in Kandahar, contributing to civil-military coordination and reconstruction efforts in the region.

Lieutenant Colonel Paul G. Moses passed away on October 9, 2023, in Hamlin, New York, after a long career of military service spanning both active duty and reserve components of the United States Army.

Citations:

–https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/bowmansville-ny/paul-moses-11491571

–https://pgrny.org/more/pgrny-completed-missions/r1-2-honor-mission-ltc-paul-g-moses-us-army-us-army-reserve-ret-mon-10-16-2023-corfu-ny

-https://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2022452.html (article about Major Blomquist who deployed and served with LTC Moses, he outlined the role the team would’ve performed in Afghanistan).

The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment is best known for its role as the U.S. Army’s dedicated Opposing Force (OPFOR) unit at the National Training Center, where it trained deploying units by replicating enemy tactics and battlefield conditions. Despite this training mission, the regiment deployed to Iraq in 2004–2005 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Rather than operating as a single cohesive regiment, the unit was broken up and its squadrons and support elements were distributed across multiple areas of responsibility. These elements were attached to different Army and Marine commands, providing reconnaissance, security, and combat support wherever needed across Iraq.

This uniform has the combat patch of the 1st Marine Division, suggesting that the combat medic Staff Sergeant Fuentes, was likely assigned to an element operating under Marine command. Based on known deployment patterns, he was most likely part of 1st Squadron, 11th ACR, which operated in the Abu Ghraib and western Baghdad sectors where Army units frequently worked alongside Marine forces. While the specific details of his service remain unclear, the presence of the Marine division patch indicates he likely served within the 1st Marine Division’s area of operations and under its operational control for at least part of the deployment.

During the early years of the Iraq War, U.S. Army and Marine Corps jointly issued memorandum authorizing soldiers to wear Marine Corps unit insignia as combat patches if they were assigned or attached to those units in a combat zone. As a result, soldiers like Staff Sergeant Fuentes could wear the 1st Marine Division insignia, reflecting their role in a joint-service operational environment.

During Operation Iraqi Freedom, the United States Coast Guard supported military operations by focusing on maritime security and port operations. One of its main tasks was helping secure and reopen Umm Qasr Port, which was essential for delivering humanitarian aid and supplies. Coast Guard personnel also worked with the United States Navy to board and inspect vessels, enforce maritime restrictions, and prevent smuggling. In addition, they helped protect offshore oil facilities such as the Al Basrah Oil Terminal, supporting Iraq’s economic recovery. They also assisted in training Iraqi maritime forces.

During Operation Enduring Freedom, the Coast Guard supported operations in a different way. Redeployment Assistance and Inspection Detachments, known as RAID teams, deployed to Afghanistan to inspect military equipment and cargo leaving the region. Their work ensured that materials were properly documented, safe to transport, and met environmental and customs requirements.

Coast Guard personnel also served at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base as part of Joint Task Force Guantanamo. They supported detention operations in roles such as security and administration.

Citation list:

United States Coast Guard. The United States Coast Guard in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Washington, DC, 2004.

The Coast Guard at War: Operation Enduring Freedom. Washington, DC, 2011.

United States Navy. Maritime Interception Operations in the Persian Gulf. Washington, DC, 2003.

Joint Task Force Guantanamo. Public Affairs Overview. Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, n.d.

Shannon Paul Reck, USCGC Adak (WPB-1333), Iraq 2003

In preparation for the invasion of Iraq, the U.S. Navy recognized a gap in its ability to conduct sustained in-shore and shallow-water operations, particularly those involving maritime security and coastal defense. While the Navy operated patrol craft such as the Cyclone-class ships, these vessels were primarily designed to support special operations forces and were optimized for shorter-duration missions with limited endurance. By contrast, these vessels U.S. Coast Guard maintained cutters specifically built for extended patrols in littoral environments, making them well-suited to the operational demands of the northern Arabian Gulf.

One such asset was the cutter USCGC Adak (WPB-1333), which deployed in February 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Assigned under Naval Coastal Warfare Forces, Adak conducted wartime maritime interdiction patrols in the North Arabian Gulf and the inland waterways of Iraq. The cutter played a role in securing key maritime objectives, including support operations on March 20, 2003, when U.S. Navy SEALs, Special Boat Unit 22 (SBU-22), and Polish GROM forces carried out assaults on Iraqi offshore oil terminals. During these operations, Adak provided security in the surrounding waters, helping to deter and respond to potential waterborne threats.

As part of the Coast Guard’s forward-deployed presence, Adak was one of several patrol boats operating under Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA), the service’s main unit in the region.

Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA) was established in 2002 and is based in Bahrain. It supports Coast Guard patrol boats operating in the Arabian Gulf, helping coordinate missions such as maritime security, escorts, and protection of key infrastructure during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

During this deployment, Shannon Paul Reck served with PATFORSWA in Bahrain beginning in July 2003 as a Health Services Technician. In this role, he worked alongside U.S. Navy medical personnel, providing care to service members and maintaining shipboard medical equipment in support of ongoing operations. When a billet for an MT54 .50-caliber machine gunner became available aboard USCGC Adak (WPB-1333), Reck volunteered to fill the position. He deployed with the cutter on a patrol to Umm Qasr from March to April 2004, where he manned the .50-caliber machine gun and contributed to the vessel’s defense against potential waterborne threats. Following the patrol, he returned to Bahrain and resumed his medical duties with PATFORSWA, continuing his assignment until returning home in June 2004.

Shown here is Shannon Paul Reck’s Desert Combat Uniform from this deployment. The uniform features distinctive Arabic-language name and service tapes, as well as embroidered collar insignia, which were produced at a uniform shop located on Naval Support Activity Bahrain. These Arabic tapes were authorized only for a brief period, making them a rare and short-lived adaptation during the early stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Citations:

-U.S. Coast Guard, “The Long Blue Line — 20 Years OIF: PATFORSWA,” MyCG, March 20, 2023, https://www.mycg.uscg.mil/News/Article/3321377/the-long-blue-line-20-years-oif-patforswalargest-uscg-unit-outside-us-territory/

-Shannon Paul Reck, interview by Jeremy Albright, March 26, 2026.

Joint Task Force Guantánamo (JTF-GTMO) operates at the U.S. military installation known as Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, located on the southeastern coast of Cuba. The United States operates the base under a long-standing lease agreement with Cuba that allows the U.S. military to maintain and administer the installation.

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States government selected Guantanamo Bay as a detention site for individuals captured during counterterrorism operations abroad. Beginning in early 2002, detainees associated with al-Qaeda who were captured during military operations in Afghanistan were transferred to newly established detention facilities at the base. Additional detainees captured in later operations, including during the conflict in Iraq, were also held there.

Guantanamo Bay was chosen in part because the United States already maintained a secure and isolated military installation at the site. Its location outside the U.S. mainland provided a controlled environment for detention operations while avoiding the political and security concerns associated with housing suspected terrorists within the territories of the United States or allied nations. As a result, the base became the central location for detaining certain individuals captured in overseas counterterrorism operations.

357th Military Police Company’s deployment 2013-2014

During 2013–2014, the 357th Military Police Company, a U.S. Army Reserve unit based in Concord, California, deployed to support detention operations with Joint Task Force Guantánamo at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. While assigned to the Joint Detention Group, the company assisted in the day-to-day management and security of the detention facilities housing individuals captured during overseas counterterrorism operations. Soldiers from the unit performed typical military police duties within the detention environment, including supervising detainee housing areas, escorting detainees during movements within the facility, and maintaining overall security and accountability. The deployment concluded in early 2014, when the unit transferred authority to the 346th Military Police Company and returned to the United States after completing its mission. 

Here is one of the uniforms worn during this mission. The Army Combat Uniform (ACU) worn by a Staff Sergeant (He requested anonymity) from the 357th Military Police Company during the unit’s 2013–2014 deployment to Joint Task Force Guantánamo at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. The noncommissioned officer served as a Watch Commander, supervising guards assigned to Camp V and overseeing the daily security operations of the detention facility. For operational security (OPSEC), personnel assigned to detention duties typically did not wear their personal name tapes on their uniforms. Instead, this Staff Sergeant wore a tape labeled “Watch Commander,” while junior enlisted guards often wore identification numbers rather than names. The uniform displays the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the 11th Military Police Brigade, the brigade headquarters under which the 346th Military Police Company served during the mission. Although the deployment supported the broader counterterrorism mission associated with Operation Enduring Freedom, service members assigned to Guantánamo Bay did not qualify for the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia–Former Wartime Service (commonly known as a combat patch). However, personnel deployed to the installation were typically eligible for the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and received hostile fire or imminent danger pay during their deployment.

This post is sponsored by LaFave Glass Company. https://lafaveglass.com

U.S. Navy

Coming soon.

From late 2009 to November 2010, the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The brigade operated primarily in eastern Afghanistan, conducting counterinsurgency and security operations in a rugged and insurgent-contested region. Their mission focused on protecting the population, disrupting Taliban activity, securing key terrain and supply routes, and supporting reconstruction and stability efforts.

Attached to the brigade, the 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry Regiment, a Connecticut Army National Guard mountain infantry battalion, conducted mounted and dismounted patrols, partnered with Afghan National Army and police units, and maintained a steady presence in local villages. They worked to reduce insurgent influence, improve security, and help Afghan forces take greater responsibility for their own areas.

Sergeant First Class Gary LaBelle served as the 1-102nd’s communications NCOIC and was based at Forward Operating Base Mehtar Lam, the battalion’s main FOB. From there, he helped keep communications running across the entire area of operations. Soldiers under him were spread out at smaller combat outposts and other FOBs, maintaining radios, satellite phones, and equipment, and handling the routine daily frequency changes. SFC LaBelle flew weekly to Jalalabad and Bagram to meet with brigade staff and coordinate communications support. He also served as a Field Ordering Officer, traveling monthly to Bagram to pick up large amounts of Afghan currency that were used to pay local vendors and inject money into the local economy.

This was Scott Meehan’s third deployment to Iraq. Assigned to the U.S. Department of Defense, he was stationed in Baghdad’s Green Zone, where he led a team of Iraqi employees auditing contracts tied to the former regime. His work focused on uncovering how Saddam Hussein’s government manipulated procurement deals, imposed kickbacks, and concealed illicit proceeds- while also searching for and accounting for funds hidden in Saddam’s palaces.

This Desert Combat Uniform (DCU) has a unique and seldom-seen patch: “U.S. Army personnel assigned to DOD and Joint Activities,” worn by soldiers who do not have a specific unit patch. It applies to personnel assigned to joint organizations that operate outside traditional U.S. Army command structures.

Saddam Hussein exploited the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program, a humanitarian program, which was created in 1995 to ease humanitarian suffering in Iraq after sweeping UN sanctions were imposed.

Those sanctions followed Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait, which led to the U.S. led coalition war known as Operation Desert Storm. After the war, the United Nations Security Council maintained strict economic sanctions on Iraq due to its weapons programs and the regime’s violent repression of internal uprisings, including attacks on Kurdish and Shiite populations. The Oil-for-Food Program was designed to allow Iraq to sell limited amounts of oil under UN supervision to purchase food, medicine, and humanitarian supplies.

Although oil revenue went into a UN-controlled account, Saddam’s government imposed illegal surcharges on oil buyers, demanded kickbacks from companies selling humanitarian goods, and smuggled oil outside the program.

Investigations after 2003-particularly by the Independent Inquiry Committee into the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program led by Paul Volcker- found Iraq earned roughly $10 billion illegally through these schemes. Investigators concluded that these illicit revenues largely benefited Saddam’s regime rather than providing relief to the Iraqi population.

Sources:

-All I Could Be, Scott Meehan

-Independent Inquiry Committee into the United Nations Oil-for-Food Programme (Volcker Report, 2004-2005)

-United States Government Accountability Office (GAO reports, 2004)

-United Nations Security Council Resolutions (1990-1995)

-Council on Foreign Relations Backgrounder: “The Iraq Oil-for-Food Scandal”