John McLaren

80th Division in Iraq John McLaren

This is a first-hand account of three Army 80th (Blue Ridge) Division Soldiers who were sent to Iraq in 2005-06 as Iraqi Army advisors. Brig. Gen. John McLaren, who commanded the Iraqi Assistance Group in Baghdad, Col. Paul Linkenhoker, who advised the Iraqi base commander for Taji, and Maj. Gary Schreckengost, who was the lead operations advisor for the Iraqi fightin' 4th Brigade, 1st Division, in Fallujah. Read how these Blue Ridge Division Soldiers answered their country's call and what it was like to be combat advisors to a very foreign army in a very foreign land in varied settings and situations.