The Corporal

This story can be considered a continuation of the

Cowgirls of Baghdad

as it follows the main protagonist on another Iraq adventure.

****************************************************************************

By May of 2006, I was coming towards the end of my year-long deployment to Iraq and had just been promoted from Private First Class to Specialist. In just another couple of months I'd be home, carefree and back in college. However, I wasn't out of the woods yet. In mid-May, I was informed that I would have to fly to Camp Taji to attend the Counterinsurgency, or COIN advisor course. The COIN course was a week long course that teamed up U.S. advisors with Iraqi Army soldiers and taught strategies and tactics to combat the growing insurgency in Iraq. When my team leader first informed me that I'd have to attend the course as an advisor, I immediately looked at the large wall map of Iraq in our office. "Where the hell is Taji?" I asked. I was stationed in Najaf, nearly one hundred twenty miles south of Baghdad. As I traced my finger up the map, I found the town of Taji, a rural area north of Baghdad.

Three days later I was on a Blackhawk helicopter touching down on the Camp Taji airfield. As I walked off the flight line, I re-shuffled my ruck sack on my back and slung my M4 carbine over my shoulder. I then took out my small green notebook from my cargo pants pocket. I flipped through a few pages until I found the information I was looking for. I needed to find a Marine named Corporal Cruz, who would give me a ride to COIN course which I was told was located on the Iraqi side of the Camp.

I saw Humvees and civilian pickup trucks waiting to pick up other soldiers. As I walked towards the line of vehicles, a Marine standing next to a white Toyota pickup truck waved me over. It wasn't until I got closer that I realized the Marine was a female. She was wearing the standard Marine Corps desert camouflage uniform and Oakley sunglasses but her hair was wrapped in a tight bun protruding from the back of her cap. She also wore a Beretta 9mm pistol in a thigh holster on her right leg. Sure enough, her name tag said "Cruz. "

When I got within five feet, she called out to me.

"Welcome to Camp Taji, Specialist," she said in distinctly Hispanic Bronx accent. Having served with some soldiers from New York, I immediately placed her accent. Her voice reminded me of the actress Jennifer Lopez's voice.

Although she was the same pay grade as me, E-4, as a Marine Corporal she was technically a junior Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) and as an Army Specialist, I was not considered and NCO. I stood at the position of at ease with my hands behind my back. We were both about the same height.

"Thanks for picking me up, Corporal," I said.

"You can stand at ease, Specialist," she replied. I relaxed my posture and lowered my arms to my side.

"How was your flight up?" she asked.

"The first hour was fine, then I couldn't wait for the helicopter to land."

"I know the feeling," she said.

She then turned towards her pick-up truck and opened the door.

"Get in, I'll take you over to the COIN course to meet Captain Martin," she said.

I walked around the front of the truck and tossed my ruck sack in the back seat of the truck and got in the front passenger seat. I then rested my M4 carbine face down between my legs.

Corporal Cruz immediately cranked up the air conditioning.

As we drove, she pointed out various buildings on Camp Taji, like the dining facility, Burger King, Post Exchange and gym.

After a few minutes we arrived at a checkpoint manned by Iraqi soldiers. A few vehicles were in front of us waiting to go through the checkpoint.

Corporal Cruz carefully removed her 9mm Beretta pistol from her thigh holster, racked the slide back, chambered a round then put it back in the holster.

I watched with a sense of concern.

"You might want to load your weapon, Specialist. We're going to the Iraqi side of the base. It's not secure," she said.

I immediately complied with her suggestion, loaded a rifle magazine in my M4 carbine and chambered a round.

When our vehicle finally got to the checkpoint, two Iraqi soldiers carrying AK-47s simply looked inside our vehicle and waved us through.

As we drove further onto the Iraq side of Camp Taji, we passed dozens of destroyed concrete buildings as well as a few destroyed Iraqi tanks and military type vehicles.

"All of the damaged buildings we're passing were bombed by the Air Force when the war first started. The Iraqis are slowly rebuilding some of them though," Corporal Cruz said.

I nodded.

After a ten-minute drive, we finally arrived at the COIN course building. Corporal Cruz parked the truck and we both got out. I slung my rifle over my shoulder and we walked inside the building. Once inside, Corporal Cruz introduced me to Captain Martin, the Marine Corps officer, who served as the officer in charge of the course. She also introduced me to a few other Marine Corps Sergeants. She then went back outside to wait by the truck. I quickly realized I was the only Army soldier anywhere in sight. After Captain Martin showed me around the building, he gave me printed packet with the course agenda and schedule for each day. Today was Sunday, so everyone had the day off, but a new session of the course would commence tomorrow morning.

He told me that he'd arranged for me to stay in transient accommodations on the U.S. side of Camp Taji and that Corporal Cruz would show me where my room was. Each morning, I'd meet her in front of the dining facility at eight o'clock and she'd drive me over to the COIN course. She'd then pick me up at five o'clock to bring me back to the U.S. side for the day. After he finished briefing me on the itinerary, the Captain asked if I had any questions. I didn't so he told Corporal Cruz to take me back to the U.S. side of the base and that he'd see me first thing the following morning. After being dismissed me, I walked back outside and saw Corporal Cruz standing next to her truck.

"Corporal, can we go to the dining facility, I'm starved," I said to her.

She nodded and we both got in the truck.

After a short drive, we again arrived at the Iraqi Army checkpoint which separated the two bases. Once we were back on the U.S. side of the base, Corporal Cruz pulled the truck over and we both got out to safely unload our weapons at the clearing barrels. We then drove to the dining facility.

As we walked in, I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the dining facility which was named after an Army Sergeant Major who had served at Camp Taji earlier in the war. After getting some food on our trays, the Corporal and I both sat down on one end of a long table. Now, with her hat and sunglasses off, I finally got a good look at her.

She had typical Hispanic features including brown eyes, jet black hair and a tan complexion but she also had some very Caucasian features, which gave her a more exotic look. I assumed her parents were mixed, with her dad being Hispanic and her mother being Caucasian. Even though her hair was neatly wrapped in a bun and she wasn't wearing any makeup, she still looked pretty attractive. Perhaps even more so by Iraq standards.

As we ate, I asked her about her deployment so far and how she ended up at Camp Taji. She told me that she was a military police officer, or MP, who had originally been deployed to Al Asad Air base, near Fallujah, to train female Iraqi police recruits. That mission had ended one month ago and she was finishing up the last two months of her seven-month deployment as an administrative NCO assigned to the COIN course. She admitted that her duties on Camp Taji were pretty boring, but that she enjoyed all of the free time she had to relax and go to the gym. As we sat there getting to know one another, I started to find her more attractive. Although she had minimized her feminine features and appearance, in accordance with Marine Corps regulations, I surmised that underneath her uniform was a very sexy female body. Her Jennifer Lopez voice only increased my attraction.

I was content to keep asking follow up questions and let her talk about herself. I learned that she was twenty-two years old and had enlisted in the Marine Corps right out of high school. As I'd predicted, she was from the Bronx, NY. She was the youngest of three siblings and both of her brothers were police officers in the New York City Police Department (NYPD). She very much hoped to join the NYPD next year after she received her honorable discharge from the Marine Corps. As usual, I minimized the details I shared about myself, only telling her I was an Army Reservist who was attending college in Boston and a few minor details about my family back home.

After lunch, Corporal Cruz took me to the transient accommodations where I'd be staying for the next five days while attending the COIN course. As luck would have it, it was a mid-sized, fully airconditioned trailer that had four twin beds. At the moment, I was the only soldier assigned to the trailer. These accommodations seemed like a luxury compared to the way I lived in Najaf. Corporal Cruz even commented that this trailer was a bit nicer than her accommodations in a smaller, two-bed, trailer nearby.

After showing me my room and a few key locations, like the latrines, water point and bunkers to run to incase of a mortar attack on the base, she told me she was heading to the gym and would meet me tomorrow morning at eight o'clock in front of the dining facility. I thanked her for all of her help and she walked away. As she did, I took notice of her confident stride and the sexy sway of her hips as she walked.

The next morning, I awoke promptly at seven o'clock, showered, shaved and had breakfast at the dining facility. Sure enough, by eight o'clock Corporal Cruz pulled up right in front of the dining facility in her white pickup truck. I climbed in and we both said good morning to each other. She then drove me over to the COIN course on the Iraqi side of the base. This time, when I arrived at the course building, approximately fifty Iraqi Army soldiers were milling about in front of the building. I had sunglasses on but I nodded to them as I walked inside the building to report to Captain Martin. Once I found him, he introduced me to Sam, the local Iraqi interpreter who would be my voice and ears during the duration of the course. As I shook hands with Sam, I quickly sized him up. I estimated he was about fifty years old. After making some small talk I realized his English was pretty good and he would be easy to work with.

A few minutes later, I followed Captain Martin and the rest of the Marine Cadre outside to the front of the building. The Iraqi soldiers then formed up in organized military ranks and, through his interpreter, Captain Martin made some announcements about the training that would be conducted that day. After that, the Captain counted off groups of ten Iraqi soldiers and assigned them to an American advisor.

Sam and I soon found ourselves encircled by ten curious Iraqi soldiers who shook our hands. Through Sam, I introduced myself as Corporal since the rank of Specialist didn't exist in the Iraqi Army. The Iraqi soldiers in my group were all privates, or "jundi" in Arabic. After we all shook hands with one another, Captain Martin handed me the daily training sheet and I proceeded to take my group through a series of simulated combat and civilian interaction training scenarios that were all set up at nearby buildings. Before long, the sun was fully up and the temperature rose to 102 degrees. I couldn't wait for lunch time so I could just go sit under a tree in the shade.

When lunch time finally came around noon, Captain Martin came around and handed out boxes of Meals ready to eat, or MREs. The Iraqi soldiers had never seen these and I spent a good portion of my lunch hour helping them open their MREs and use the water-activated heater to warm their food. By the time everyone was squared away, I barely had ten minutes to scarf down some cold beef macaroni.

By the time five o'clock rolled around, I couldn't wait for Corporal Cruz to pick me up. I just wanted to get back to the U.S. side of the base, have a warm meal, take a shower and relax in my air-conditioned room. When the Corporal pulled up in her white pickup truck, she could tell I was happy to see her. I opened the door and climbed in.

"I'm so hungry," I groaned.

She laughed.

"Rough first day, Specialist?" she asked.

I nodded. We then drove right to the dining facility and we ate dinner together.

As a female in the U.S. military, I suspected she probably kept her guard up being constantly surrounded by males, however I could tell she was starting to relax a bit around me. She was eager to discuss details of her family back home and tastes in music and movies. The more questions I asked, the more she answered.

The next few days of the COIN course seemed like Groundhog's Day. There wasn't much deviation to the daily course activities and the days were hot and long. Making matters worse, the Iraqi soldiers didn't appear to shower on a regular basis, so as the course went on, their body odor became horrendous. The high point of my day was always around five o'clock when Corporal Cruz came to pick me up and then we'd eat dinner together. After dinner, I'd go take a shower and read a book in my room until I passed out.

Before long, it was the last day of the course. We conducted training until three o'clock, then Captain Martin called the entire group together and spoke to everyone through his interpreter. He congratulated the Iraqi soldiers on their completion of the course and thanked the U.S. advisors who had worked with them. After that, he shook hands with many of the soldiers. When he got to me, he handed me a military coin with his name, rank and the Marine Corps logo on it. He then thanked me for coming all the way up to Taji and wished me a safe rest of my deployment. I thanked him, saluted and we parted ways. By the time Corporal Cruz arrived to pick me up, I was in a state of Euphoria. I could relax!

As usual, once back on the U.S. side of Camp Taji, we ate dinner together. As we neared the end of the meal, Corporal Cruz asked me what I was doing after dinner. I shrugged.

"I don't know, probably just take a shower and relax in my room," I said.

"It's your last night here, we should hang out." She said.

I was pleasantly surprised. I had never even broached the idea because I didn't want to come across as being overly forward with her.

"Sure," I said.

"After you shower, come by my room," she said.

"Ok, I will," I said.

We then got up, returned our food trays and walked out of the dining facility.

Once outside, she pointed out the location of her room. We then parted ways and I headed to the showers. As a I lathered myself up in the shower, I had trouble containing my curiosity and excitement about what might happen next. I quickly composed myself and tried not to make assumptions. After I was done showering, I changed into a new uniform and headed over to Corporal Cruz's room.

When I got to her door, I gently knocked. After a few seconds the door opened. With her hair fully down, I almost didn't recognize Corporal Cruz. She looked like a real woman. I was briefly transfixed by the sudden change in her appearance. It was even hotter that she was still dressed in her Marine Corps desert camouflage uniform.

"Come in," she said as she ushered me into her room.

As I entered, I looked around her small, but neatly kept room. There were two twin beds; one on each side of the room. She walked over to her bed, took her thigh holster off and put it in a small foot locker near the foot of her bed.

"My roommate went home two weeks ago on emergency leave, so I've had the room to myself. It's been really nice." She said.

"I bet," I said as I continued looking around.

I noticed a picture on the night table next to her bed. It showed her with a Hispanic guy around her age. He had his arm around her and they were smiling and looked happy.

"Who's that?" I asked, pointing to the picture.

"That's my boyfriend. We've been together since high school." She replied.

"Do you have a girlfriend back home?" she asked.

"Yes." I replied.

"Is it serious?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. We're both young. We'll see where it goes."

She smiled.

"So, when was the last time you had sex?" she said.

I was a bit surprised by the forwardness of her question.

"I guess when I was home on leave in January," I said.

She nodded.

"What about you?" I asked.

"Not since I began this deployment," she groaned.

"That's a long time," I said.

"It feels like I haven't had a dick in ages," she said heavily accentuating her Jennifer Lopez accent while looking at me seductively.

I didn't know what to say and was overcome with momentary shyness.

"I like you," she said with a smile.

"Thanks. I like you too," I said as I smiled back at her.

"You're not like most of the other soldiers that pass through here for this course," she said.

I smiled at her not sure how to reply to that.

"It's not like either of us will see each other again after tonight," she said.

"That is true," I replied.

"Let's just fuck." She said.

I let her words reverberate for a moment.

We both looked at each other and read one another's eyes.

For the next minute we both took off our uniforms in silence until we were both standing across from each other completely naked. My eyes drifted between her perky C cup breasts and the hairy mound between her legs. I could tell her eyes were fixated between my legs on my ever-growing erection. I also realized I was right about the assumption I had made about her body that first day at lunch; she was very sexy and toned. As we both walked towards each other, I carefully watched her facial expressions. Her eyes were still drawn to my erection. When we finally reached each-other she bent over slightly to get a better look at my penis.

"I've never seen one like that," she said.

"Like what?" I said, momentarily feeling very insecure.

"Are you circumcised?" she asked.

I immediately felt a sense of relief that she wasn't so enamored because she thought my manhood was small.

"Yes," I replied.

"Can I touch it?" she asked.

I laughed.

"Sure." I said.

She then slowly reached her right hand out and felt the tip of my penis.

The touch of her fingers only caused further arousal on my part.

"It looks so perfect." She giggled.

I then reached out and gently caressed her breasts. As I did, I felt her nipples get hard.

We then moved over to her bed and sat on the edge of the bed. Her lips were wet and soft as I kissed them. I reached down and gently felt her pussy. I could tell she was wet with anticipation.

"I wanna ride it!" she proclaimed.

"Ok. Do you have a condom?" I whispered.

"No, but I'm on the pill, so don't worry about it," she replied.

I hesitated momentarily. As horny as I was, I didn't want to risk getting her pregnant or worse; getting an STD.

Sensing my hesitation, she spoke.

"I'm clean. I promise."

I smiled at her.

"Ok," I said.

She then stood up and I leaned back with my legs hanging over the edge as she then slowly backed up onto me. Facing away from me, with her legs on the ground she then took her hand and gently guided my penis inside of her. She was so wet I slid right in. For the next few minutes she raised and lowered herself on me. She was tight and felt really good, but I was determined not to come inside of her; no matter what.

As she rode me, I gently caressed her butt with my hands. At the same time, she gently rubbed her clit. I regretted not being able to see her face or touch her breasts. Before long, her pace and breathing picked up as she continued to ride me. I imagined her legs were very strong from her daily workout regimen at the gym. The way she rode me it was almost as if she was doing squats. When she finally came, she let out a series of low moans and I felt her pussy tighten around me. After twenty seconds, she composed herself and climbed off of me. She then turned around. She was sweaty and her hair was a bit disheveled but she still looked really sexy. She smiled at me as she reached out to touch my penis.