Sitrep Live: “You’re either very stupid or very brave” – reflections on serving in Iraq episode artwork

EPISODE · May 21, 2026 · 53 MIN

Sitrep Live: “You’re either very stupid or very brave” – reflections on serving in Iraq

from BFBS Sitrep

From invasion, through stabilisation and counter-insurgency to training Iraqi forces, Operation Telic involved more than 135,000 British servicemen and women from 2003 to 2011Fifteen years since the last troops left Sitrep talks to three veterans of Iraq to reflect on the jobs they did, the sacrifices made, and how the legacy looks today with more distance and time.In a special edition from the National Memorial Arboretum James Wharton, Duane Gardner, and Kevin Robinson share their stories and compare their experiences.And they explain how, despite the complex legacy of the Iraq war, it continues to shape todays armed forces from transformed kit to sharpened doctrine.

From invasion, through stabilisation and counter-insurgency to training Iraqi forces, Operation Telic involved more than 135,000 British servicemen and women from 2003 to 2011Fifteen years since the last troops left Sitrep talks to three veterans of Iraq to reflect on the jobs they did, the sacrifices made, and how the legacy looks today with more distance and time.In a special edition from the National Memorial Arboretum James Wharton, Duane Gardner, and Kevin Robinson share their stories and compare their experiences.And they explain how, despite the complex legacy of the Iraq war, it continues to shape todays armed forces from transformed kit to sharpened doctrine.

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Sitrep Live: “You’re either very stupid or very brave” – reflections on serving in Iraq

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This episode was published on May 21, 2026.

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From invasion, through stabilisation and counter-insurgency to training Iraqi forces, Operation Telic involved more than 135,000 British servicemen and women from 2003 to 2011Fifteen years since the last troops left Sitrep talks to three veterans of...

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