Lt. Col. Folsom shares the journal he wrote while advising and mentoring the staff of an Iraqi army battalion at Combat Outpost South near the Syrian border during 2008. The shrewd memoir describes living conditions on base, learning to build relationships with Iraqi officers, and frustrations trying to get the Iraqi battalion organized and functioning independent of American assistance. A few b&w photographs of soldiers are provided. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)