Cuttle, 43, last saw his wife and three children, aged 7, 8 and 10, in May and won't see them again until November. His parents, Barbara and Phil Cuttle, are retired and live in Tampa, where his brother Ray and sister-in-law Anna Marie run La Tropicana restaurant in Ybor City. He spoke to Tribune editorial writer Jim Beamguard by telephone last week from Camp Stryker in Baghdad, where he is assigned.

Here's what he had to say:

On his assignment:

As a civil affairs company commander, I put a friendly face on the American presence here by visiting schools, delivering supplies, opening clinics, treating their animals.

Today we opened up a clinic, just west of Baghdad International Airport. It was only open three hours; we saw 31 Iraqi folks. A couple dozen kids came through. We gave them soccer balls and school backpacks.

Last Tuesday we dropped off 200 backpacks with school supplies that had been donated by the American people, at an elementary school here. I can't describe to you the faces on these kids when we delivered school backpacks. I went from classroom to classroom, and I didn't see one pencil, not one sheet of paper.

I have a veterinarian assigned to me. We'll go to rural farms. Deworm their cattle, sheep and goat.

On choosing targets:

My targets are nonlethal targets. We're like combat mitigation … if we had to kick down some doors, maybe arrested the wrong people … we can help people with filing claims, that sort of thing.

We may be out driving around, going to a meeting or something, and we see a bunch of cattle, and we'll build a mission around doing a veterinary community outreach program. We'll ask questions … are they going to vote in the election? Atmospherics, we call it. Trying to get a sense of what the people are thinking and what's important to them.

On building democracy:

It's human nature that people want to be free ... Safety is a big concern. In my sector, I don't think there were any polling places before because it was so dangerous, and it still is. We take democracy for granted as a nation. We've been a democracy over 200 years and had a civil war our own selves.

They have to learn, I guess ... what it means to have freedom of choice and vote.

On winning the war:

In my small piece of the war, I feel like we're making a difference, one village at a time, one backpack at a time, one cow at a time.

Last week we dewormed 150 head of livestock that wouldn't have gotten care. These farmers are very very thankful and grateful. The villages that didn't have water … we figured out how to help them with a pump or canal cleaning.

We're literally making a difference one village at a time, and I think that's how we're going to win this thing."

On the risks he faces:

We're outside the wire quite often. We're in harm's way on a regular basis. I was hit with an IED … improvised explosive device … just two Fridays ago. It obviously didn't get me or I wouldn't be talking to you.

I was in a Humvee. It blew up about 10 meters off to my left rear. I think somebody set it off. We blew through the kill zone and continued our mission.

It's dangerous out there. One of my sister units lost a soldier yesterday, but the family hasn't been notified, so I can't talk about that.

On support for the troops:

All my needs are being met. We live in big tents, but they're air-conditioned. We've got a great chow hall. We've got a really nice gym. Excellent morale support.

We've got Internet trailers where guys can log on and e-mail their families. When I was here in 2003, it was hard to get things like toothpaste and shaving cream. The people I work with … we're OK. I have no complaints at all. If anybody had anything to donate, I'd donate it to the hurricane victims.

On his plans when he returns:

I love Tampa-St Pete area. I can't wait to get a Cuban sandwich at my brother's restaurant.

Keyword: Commentary, to read other Voices From The Front stories and more on the media coverage of Iraq. The Tribune arranges these interviews with service members through U.S. Central Command.