American Sniper - Boekje Pienter

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WORKING WITH THE ARMY
With the initial attacks dying down after a couple of days, we footpatrolled
back to COP Falcon from Four Story. There we met with the
captain of the force, and told him that we wanted to be based out of
Falcon rather than having to go all the way back to Camp Ramadi
every few days.
He gave us the in-law suite. We were the Army’s in-laws.
We also told him that we would help him clear whatever area he
wanted. His job was to clear the city around COP Falcon, and ours was
to help him.
“What’s the worst spot you got” we asked.
He pointed it out.
“That’s where we’re going,” we said.
He shook his head and rolled his eyes.
“You guys are crazy,” he said. “You can have that house, you can
outfit it however you want, you can go wherever you want. But I want
you to know—I’m not coming to get you if you go out there. There are
too many IEDs, I’m going to lose a tank. I can’t do it.”
Like a lot of the Army, I’m sure the captain initially looked at us skeptically.
They all assumed we thought we were better than they were,
that we had out-sized egos and shot off our mouths without being able
to back it up. Once we proved to them that we didn’t think we were
better than them—more experienced, yes, but not stuck up, if you
know what I mean—then they usually came around. We formed strong
working relationships with the units, and even friendships that lasted
after the war.