June 1s t, 2004 marked my first month in Iraq; My previous year in the Middle East was spent Saudi Arabia and Kuwait With the time spent most of in Kuwait to include during “Operation Iraqi Freedom”. The only taste of Iraq I had was a one day trip to Um Qasar (pronounced Umm Kasar) which is right outside Kuwait border with Iraq. Fast forwarding to the present. I remember like it was yesterday leaving the DC area. I flew from Andrews Air force Base to the country of Qatar. Qatar is home to the main body of the US Central Command (CENTCOM). CENTCOM’s main focus is to protect, promote and preserve U.S interests in the central region. With an Area of Responsibility (AOR) larger than the continental U.S., stretching more than 3,100 miles east to west and 3,600 miles north-to-south. The AOR includes 27 culturally and economically diverse nations located throughout the Horn of Africa, South and Central Asia, and Northern Red Sea regions, as well as the Arabian Peninsula and Iraq. My stay in Qatar lasted two days. When it was time for me to board the plane to Baghdad from Qatar, I was fully dressed in my battle fatigues along with my combat gear looking astute (ATTENT HUT) as I boarded a military plane to Baghdad. My seat on the aircraft was adjacent to a few Military vehicles (2 Hummers) to include military equipment along with our luggage which was palletized and secured to the hull of the aircraft. There were no windows nor was I offered any peanuts. The seat that I was sitting in had the look and feel of an old folding lawn chair, and if I may add it very uncomfortable if. As I mentioned I was in full battle gear my M4 rifle positioned between my legs with my General Patton war face on. I wasn’t expecting to see combat but just in case I was fully prepared for the worst. Overall the plane ride was very uneventful. Once I stepped off the plane to take a look low and behold, there was Baghdad!  I stood ramrod facing toward the control tower. Like a camera pan scanning the horizon. I stood in complete silence. Inside my mind I was singing a song written by the Doors called “The End”. As part of the words to the song go “Can you picture what will be…So limitless and free….Desperately in need...of some...stranger's hand…In a...desperate land” The melodic groove of that song has a hypnotic sound that puts me at ease. However this time I was overcome with uncertainty plus the fear of not coming home. I walked toward the pickup and threw my things in the back. Once I got inside the truck, I realized, I must move on. The path that I am traveling is down a dusty desolate road. The irony behind this was, I felt like Joseph Conrad’s character, Marlow, traveling down “The HEART of DARKNESS” is this the redux?