
Route Clearance and Counterbattery in Iraq
From The Spear by Modern War Institute at West Point
January 16, 2026 · 56 min
About this episode
JJ Pinter shares his experiences and lessons learned from combat in Iraq and discusses the importance of community and fitness for veterans.
JJ Pinter graduated from West Point and was commissioned as a field artillery officer. A few short years after 9/11, JJ found himself in Iraq, leading route clearance missions and performing counterbattery fire against persistent insurgent mortar and rocket attacks. In this episode of The Spear, JJ shares lessons learned in combat in Iraq, and recounts his experiences leading troops in fighting fires in Montana as well as performing humanitarian assistance after Hurricane Katrina. He also discusses the importance of physical fitness and the need for veterans to find community after military service ends.
People in this episode
Host: Modern War Institute at West Point
Guest: JJ Pinter
Topics covered
- route clearance
- counterbattery fire
- Iraq combat
- military service
- veteran community
- physical fitness
Keywords
- route clearance
- counterbattery
- Iraq
- military
- veterans
- physical fitness
- humanitarian assistance
- Hurricane Katrina
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: West Point
Places: Iraq, Montana
More episodes of The Spear
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- The Ranger Regiment's Fighting Platoon Sergeant · April 6, 2026 · 48 min
- 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
- Combat Surgery in Afghanistan · November 19, 2025 · 48 min
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