U.S. Air Force 379th Air Expeditionary Wing engineer MASTER SGT. Michael Rowell reviews forms while sitting on the rear cargo ramp of a C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft at a forward deployed location in Southwest Asia, on Dec. 6, 2004, in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.(U.S. Air Force PHOTO by STAFF SGT. Shane A. Cuomo) (Released)

Iraq War aka Operation IRAQI FREEDOM was the 2003 invasion of Iraq, led by U.S. Army General Tommy Franks, under the code-name "Operation Iraqi Freedom". 248,000 soldiers from the United States, 45,000 British soldiers, 2,000 Australian soldiers and 194 Polish soldiers from Special Forces unit GROM sent to Kuwait for the invasion. The invasion force was also supported by Iraqi Kurdish militia troops, estimated to number upwards of 70,000.