Mark Weber, a captain in the U.S. Army Reserves, crossed the border from Kuwait into Iraq in the pre-dawn hours of the war’s first day. As part of the Third Corps Support Command out of Fort Des Moines, Iowa, Weber and his troops operated an Assault Command Post that opened up captured enemy air bases on the run and provided close logistical support for infantry and artillery units as they raced across central Iraq towards Baghdad.

He’d been through a lot of combat exercises since his days as an ROTC cadet at Drake University. But in those first fierce days of battle he realized that even the best training session couldn't duplicate the real experience of combat.

“It’s an emotional experience,” recalled Weber. “In training you’re pretending that there’s an opposing force nearby pointing their weapons at you, but that’s nothing like real involvement in enemy territory. I had my weapon constantly aimed out the window of our vehicle and the only thing you can think about is surviving and protecting your buddies.”

After the initial hostilities were over, Weber and his unit settled in at the Iraqi air base in Balad, 40 miles north of Baghdad. As they worked with Iraqi contractors to repair war damage at the base and expand it for use by U.S. forces, Weber and his Iowans found themselves targets in the second stage of the war, a conflict with no front lines and constant threats from insurgents armed with bombs and mortars.

Driving just the few miles to the compound where most of the Iraqi workers lived meant they had to “cowboy up”, military slang for grabbing heavy weapons and putting on body armor. Yet while he saw his share of violence and tragedy, Weber came home with deep affection for the people of Iraq and a deep conviction that America’s involvement there was in the best interests of the average Iraqi.

“We are doing the right thing over there, “Weber said. “We freed the people from the Saddam regime and now the people are working to free themselves from the insurgents. And they’re risking their lives everyday to do it.”

Weber had a better opportunity than most service members to meet with Iraqi civilians and was impressed by the kindnesses they showed him and their strong commitment to family. Missing his own family was the toughest part of his tour of duty, but he could frequently exchange e-mails and enjoy phone calls with his wife, Sommany.

He had to get reacquainted with his oldest daughter Jacqueline, now 4, after being away for a year. His eight-month old daughter, Kennedy, is unaware of Dad's Iraq adventure. Weber is back on the job as a team leader for quality assurance at Wells Fargo Financial Services/Wells Fargo Services in Des Moines, where he has worked for 15 years. He still exchanges e-mail with the Iraqi families who befriended him and looks forward to the day when he can bring his wife and daughters to visit a peaceful Iraq to meet his friends there in person.

As to his military service in that country, Weber has no doubts and no regrets. “It might sound crazy, but I thank God for the opportunity to have served with the army in Iraq,” Weber said. “And I thank my wife for her support through all of this.”