Ambassador Larson Shares Personal Observations From Military Service in Iraq

Ambassador Charles Larson addressed a group of students at the University of Latvia on March 12th on the subject of U.S. Foreign Policy and Iraq.

Ambassador Larson shared personal experiences, and photos, from his military service in Iraq.
As a major in the U.S. Army Reserves, Ambassador Larson served for a year in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service in combat and the Combat Action Badge.
Ambassador Larson told personal experiences from the time he was stationed in the heart of the Sunni Triangle.
Ambassador Larson was in charge of the command’s legal affairs and spearheaded its humanitarian missions.
Larson showed the students photos depicting the construction of city halls, schools, and water treatment and rural electrification facilities.
He also spoke about his involvement with Operation Iraqi Hope which distributed more than $100,000 worth of donated school supplies to 17,000 Iraqi school children.
In addition to these efforts, Ambassador Larson flew over fifty combat missions as a CH-47 “Chinook” helicopter door gunner, delivering critical re-supplies of ammunition, equipment, and troops throughout Iraq and during the battle of Fallujah.
After his presentation, Ambassador Larson answered questions from the students.

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