Assignment Iraq: Five Years Later

SPOKANE — Five years after KXLY sent a reporter over the Iraq to cover our men and women in combat, they will soon embed another reporter in that same region over the next few weeks.

After five years of occupation, U.S. troops have turned the situation around in Iraq, and many parts of the country are returning to peace and, in some cases, prosperity.

KXLY4’s Dave Erickson will discover those changes first hand as he heads to Iraq on Tuesday.

He will be making his way to the Middle East to live and report with Spokane members of the Washington Army National Guard. The First Battalion, 161st Infantry is stationed at Balad Airbase in Iraq.

After a few connecting flights, Dave will arrive at Kuwait City International Airport, which is just across the border from Iraq. From there, the military will pick him up and take him just north of Baghdad to the Airbase.

The base is home to 30,000 members of the military.

Five years ago, KXLY4 experienced firsthand the danger our soldiers in Iraq face everyday.

Even after all this time, the threat is still very real, the stories are still unfolding, and KXLY4 HD News is going back to tell them.

Just last fall, members of the 161st Infantry deployed for their second tour of duty in Iraq.

“I know what to expect basically last time I went over I was more scared than I am now, ” said Spc. Joel Doubeck of the United States Army.

For the next month, you can watch how they cope with life away from their loved ones while providing security in the one of the most dangerous places on earth.

“I think we’re going to be doing some good. I mean I love the military, so anything they tell me to do I’ll do it,” Spc. Doubeck said.

Dave Erickson will be blogging about his journey, as well as reporting on the men and women who are fighting for our country.