The Story:
One of the most vital missions of the U.S. forces in Iraq is to train and support the Iraqi security forces so that they can defend their own country. Matson was sent to Mosul in April 2006 to work with Iraqi soldiers, most of whom were former “peshmerga,” indigenous Kurdish guerilla fighters. He was part of a specialized task force of ten U.S. soldiers, each with a unique skill set. These training groups, also known as Military Transition Teams (MiTTs), are located throughout Iraq. In Mosul alone, there were 10-15 MiTTs while Matson was there.
Matson served as the operations officer for his team. He knew he needed to develop personal relationships with the Iraqi forces, so he spent a great deal of time in informal settings talking and joking with his Iraqi counterparts. The Kurdish soldiers eventually embraced the training team: not only did they train and work together, but the Kurds came to think of the Americans as family.
Matson and his team lived in a beat-up, bombed-out building in the middle of Mosul, where they and the Iraqis lived together, ate together, and trained together. It was a dangerous setting for sure, but the Iraqis and the Americans faced the danger together. And the constant interaction fostered strong bonds between the two forces – part of a comprehensive strategy to develop and ensure greater leadership on the ground.
Ten days before Major Matson was to return to the U.S., a truck bomb exploded outside of the compound, blowing in the wall of Matson’s room and seriously injuring him. He was knocked unconscious with severe trauma injuries to his head and neck, but his Iraqi counterparts responded swiftly and took him to the nearest medical unit for treatment. Matson attributes his survival to their quick response.
Matson’s injuries were so severe he was unable to return to his unit, which led to his greatest regret: being unable to say goodbye to the Iraqis he had come to call “his brothers.” For his leadership and work in Iraq, Matson received the Bronze Star upon his return from Iraq in May 2007.