About this episode

Jeff Marshburn shares lessons learned from his combat missions in Mosul, focusing on trust and training.

In 2005, Jeff Marshburn was a reconnaissance platoon leader in the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, in Mosul, Iraq. While leading his platoon during the battalion's first contact with the enemy, several of his troops were wounded in action. In this episode of The Spear, Jeff recounts the lessons learned from his many combat missions in Iraq, with an emphasis on trust, competence, and the value of pre-deployment training.

People in this episode

Host: Modern War Institute at West Point

Guest: Jeff Marshburn

Topics covered

• combat missions
• trust
• competence
• pre-deployment training
• military experience

Keywords

• Mosul
• Iraq
• combat
• military
• training
• trust
• leadership

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment

Places: Mosul, Iraq

More episodes of The Spear

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• Staying Alive in Iraq and Afghanistan · March 24, 2026 · 1h 7m
• Ranger Missions in Iraq and Afghanistan · March 10, 2026 · 1h 2m
• Combat Interpreter in Iraq · February 10, 2026 · 1h 6m
• Route Clearance and Counterbattery in Iraq · January 15, 2026 · 56 min
• Combat Surgery in Afghanistan · November 19, 2025 · 48 min

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