About 

This Island Iraq is a snapshot in time. While the time spent in Iraq from the broader American perspective is often puzzling or misunderstood, for the Marines that spent time on the ground pounding sand, going door to door, making friends, making enemies and watching each other's backs - it was an embodiment of a brotherhood. Often times when one looks back at who they were at this time of their life, there are those moments of shame, embarrassment, as well as what we like to remember, the moments of honor and sacrifice. This site is a snapshot in time, warts and all. It needs to be remembered that every individual Marine in this unit was in a certain place, context and culture within yet another context and culture. In other words, don't be surprised or judgmental to find that one that was once in the Marines was once rough around the edges. Don't be shocked to know that we were all once ready to inflict violence at the blink of an eye. Don't ever forget that despite some of the antics that take place behind the scenes, each one of these men signed their name on the dotted line and was willing to give their life for each other and for their country. This site is dedicated to those that served on deployments to Iraq with 1st Battalion 7th Marine Regiment, Animal Company. Particularly- those that served with 1st platoon, of which I was a part of, and thus, documented those I was around most of the time.

Sgt. Joshua D. Holler

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Photos on this site:

The background photos on this site are from the combat camera men who came to our AO and patrolled with us in 2007. Here's where you can find their photos: https://www.dvidshub.net/image/60995/security-patrol-dulab

Some of their photos, which are public domain, are intermixed with my own.