Though each of U.S. Army Reserve Colonel Rod Faulk’s three deployments were unique and meaningful to him in different ways, they had one thing in common, he said.

"They had in common the sense of purpose, that we were contributing to an important mission enhancing the security of Americans, now and in the future," Faulk said.

Faulk, who has been in the U.S. Army Reserve for more than 26 years, deployed first in 2002-2003 to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The next two deployments were both to Iraq, where he served first as the Commander of a Military Police Battalion in a 2005-2006 deployment. He then deployed for a second tour in Iraq in 2007-2008, this time as the Chief of Staff for a Military Police Brigade.

During his first deployment to Iraq, Faulk was responsible for leading a battalion of over 1,000 Soldiers engaged in military police operations.

Stationed at Camp Bucca, Iraq, Faulk commanded a joint service battalion of over 1,000 Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen engaged in providing safe care and security for thousands of insurgents in the world’s largest military detention facility.

Faulk oversaw all functions necessary to safeguard and secure all detainees assigned to the facility. He and his battalion ensured the safe transit of over 30,000 detainees between Camp Bucca and Baghdad. Faulk also oversaw the upgrade of the facility from tents to hard stand domiciles, and partnered with military hospital staff to ensure effective medical support to the detainees. These efforts, in part, enabled the Multi-National Force-Iraq and Task Force 134 to close the Abu Ghraib facility.

When Faulk redeployed to Iraq in 2007, he returned to Camp Bucca, this time in the role of Chief of Staff for a Military Police Brigade. In that role he led the staff of a military police brigade headquarters, supervising military police operations. He provided leadership to the brigade staff by coordinating command and control functions for over 8,000 Soldiers, civilians and contractors engaged in the mission to provide safe care and custody for thousands of insurgents detained in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Faulk also took the responsibility of personally conducting numerous VIP and media visits to provide transparency and publicize the noble efforts of the coalition forces in engaging with detainees to help them become productive citizens of Iraq.

Later, Faulk also supervised the Brigade’s relocation to Baghdad and simultaneous relief in place with two other Brigades, accomplishing both missions with no operational impacts.

Of his time in the U.S. Army Reserve, Faulk had this to say: "I have enjoyed my service as I find it personally rewarding to serve my country and to help younger Soldiers do the same," he said. "The Army is a unique environment: It provides you just enough structure to organize and a lot of flexibility and autonomy to learn and grow as you shape your organization for future success and future service."

Faulk earned two Bronze Star Medals for his service; one for each deployment to Iraq.