Virginia Firefighter/Platoon Leader Talks About Iraq Duty

Staff Sergeant Don Farley is not just any soldier; he is a section leader of a scout platoon, the 278 Regimental Combat Team serving in Iraq, but more importantly, Don Farley is a firefighter.

His first encounter with the firefighting profession happened during one of the darkest days in American History. On April 30, 1992, riots were entering their second day in the Compton area of Los Angeles after the acquittal of four police officers in a California State Court for the beating of Rodney King. Thousands of National Guard troops including Farley were called in to support law enforcement and protect firefighters rushing to extinguish the more than 10,000 fires that eventually engulfed the city.