Lots has been made about how the last of the combat troops have been removed from Iraq, but as I think about, everyone in the army is first and foremost a combat troop. Each person who joins the army first goes to basic training where he learns how to shoot a rifle and be a soldier. During basic training, each soldier is assigned his basic gear, which includes the web belt, M-16 magazine holders, helmet, etc.

Next each soldier attends school to learn his specific assignment I attended military police school in Ft. Gordon, Ga.

Each soldier is then assigned to his permanent duty station. I recall being assigned an M-16 rifle when I arrived at Ft. Hood, Tx. Even though I never carried it while on patrol, I still had to qualify with it.

So, it's quite easy to say that there are still 50,000 combat troops in Iraq, disguised as cooks and advisers etc.

Sadly, many of those troops that left Iraq probably got on a plane and went to Afghanistan.