Ragged Edge

Deployed to Iraq in March 2004 after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, US Marine Michael Zacchea thought he had landed a plum assignment. His team''s mission was to build, train, and lead in combat the first Iraqi Army battalion trained by the US military.

Quickly, he realized he was faced with a nearly impossible task. With just two weeks'' training based on outdated and irrelevant materials, no la...