CAMP ASHRAF, Iraq - With 27 units spread throughout a country the size of California, the commander of the Wisconsin National Guard's 32nd Infantry Brigade, Col. Steven Bensend, can't just hop in a Humvee to visit his troops. Instead, he orders up a couple of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and takes key staff members along by air.

On one recent visit, Bensend's Black Hawk helicopters dropped into Camp Ashraf, where Soldiers from the Arcadia and Onalaska-based Company C, 1-128th Infantry are serving at Forward Operating Base Grizzly. Company C is charged with operating observation points, escorting distinguished visitors in their area, providing personal security details for meetings and movements outside the FOB, and performing resupply patrols.

"The troops here at FOB Grizzly are busy in a very unique mission that is unlike any other in Iraq," said 1st Lt. Rhett Zietlow, a platoon leader with the company. "There is no cut and dry day-to-day type of mission, it is continually evolving due to the overall political sensitivity and humanitarian nature of it. There is no pattern to these missions as they could all happen on the same day if the situation would require it."

The company's accomplishments didn't go unnoticed by the brigade's top enlisted soldier, who was along on the visit.

"These Soldiers are doing well and doing a great job on a difficult mission," said Command Sgt. Maj. Edgar Hansen, the brigade command sergeant major, after his visit to FOB Grizzly.

The visit allowed the top leaders in the brigade to see how their troops were doing at the small and remote FOB. It was also an opportunity for Soldiers to ask the commander questions about the deployment.

"It was a great chance for our Soldiers to share their views and input on what we are doing," Zietlow said.

Company C is deployed to Iraq with the 32nd Brigade and is expected to return to Wisconsin in January.