| COBRA 1: Sergeant First Class Chuck Grist |
| COBRA 2: Staff Sergeant Aaron Self |
| COBRA 4: Sergeant John (Doc) Actis II |
| COBRA 3: Sergeant Chad Higginbotham |
SGT Actis was a police
officer in Mississippi
before he became the
Team medic. He served
as a medical corpsman
in the Marine Corps and
is also a part-time actor.
officer in Mississippi
before he became the
Team medic. He served
as a medical corpsman
in the Marine Corps and
is also a part-time actor.
Second-in-command of
the Team, SSG Self is a
police officer in Texas.
He is married to SSG
Kristi Self, who also
served in Baghdad.
the Team, SSG Self is a
police officer in Texas.
He is married to SSG
Kristi Self, who also
served in Baghdad.
SGT Higginbotham was
a police officer in
Mississippi before
joining the Team. He is
a combat veteran who
served in Somalia with
the 10th Mountain
Division.
a police officer in
Mississippi before
joining the Team. He is
a combat veteran who
served in Somalia with
the 10th Mountain
Division.
The NCOIC, or sergeant
in charge, of the PSD,
SFC Grist is a police
officer in Central Florida,
a Vietnam veteran and
an Army Ranger. He is
also a father and
grandfather.
in charge, of the PSD,
SFC Grist is a police
officer in Central Florida,
a Vietnam veteran and
an Army Ranger. He is
also a father and
grandfather.
| Meet the C.O.B.R.A. Team |
The C.O.B.R.A. Team
Key Figures in the lives of The C.O.B.R.A. Team
| SSG Aaron Self reunites with his wife, SSG Kristi Self, in Baghdad on February 4, 2004. |
| The now-famous Hands of Victory monument of swords in Baghdad's Green Zone. |
| Young Iraqi street vendors in the Green Zone |
| Saddam Hussein's Al Faw Palace; the "Water Palace" at Camp Victory |
Brigadier General
Charles (Sandy) Davidson
Radio call-sign: "Terrier"
General Davidson, a veteran of Operation
Desert Storm, went to Iraq as the
commanding general of the 350th Civil
Affairs Command and the director of
civil-military operations for the Multi-National
Forces Iraq. He was also a graduate of
Wofford College, the Command and General
Staff College, the Defense Strategy Course
and the Army War College.
Charles (Sandy) Davidson
Radio call-sign: "Terrier"
General Davidson, a veteran of Operation
Desert Storm, went to Iraq as the
commanding general of the 350th Civil
Affairs Command and the director of
civil-military operations for the Multi-National
Forces Iraq. He was also a graduate of
Wofford College, the Command and General
Staff College, the Defense Strategy Course
and the Army War College.
First Lieutenant
R. Clarke Cooper
Radio call-sign: "Terrier 1"
Lieutenant Cooper was General Davidson's aide
during the mission to Iraq and he also
supervised The C.O.B.R.A. Team. A graduate of
Florida State University, Cooper was the
assistant director for Legislative Affairs for the
U.S. Park Service before deploying to Iraq with
the 350th Civil Affairs Command.
R. Clarke Cooper
Radio call-sign: "Terrier 1"
Lieutenant Cooper was General Davidson's aide
during the mission to Iraq and he also
supervised The C.O.B.R.A. Team. A graduate of
Florida State University, Cooper was the
assistant director for Legislative Affairs for the
U.S. Park Service before deploying to Iraq with
the 350th Civil Affairs Command.
Major Edward Eversman
Trainer of The C.O.B.R.A. Team
"COBRA"
Major Eversman was selected to train the
protective service detail for General Davidson.
He was supposed to be the Officer-in-Charge
in Baghdad, but before the unit arrived in Iraq,
he was re-assigned to a critical advisory role
in the new Iraqi Ministry of the Interior. He
remained the "mentor" of the Team
throughout their tour. In civilian life, Eversman
is a Deputy United States Marshal.
Trainer of The C.O.B.R.A. Team
"COBRA"
Major Eversman was selected to train the
protective service detail for General Davidson.
He was supposed to be the Officer-in-Charge
in Baghdad, but before the unit arrived in Iraq,
he was re-assigned to a critical advisory role
in the new Iraqi Ministry of the Interior. He
remained the "mentor" of the Team
throughout their tour. In civilian life, Eversman
is a Deputy United States Marshal.
 | |  | |  |
Sergeant Herbert Hale
Driver for General Davidson
Sergeant Hale was Davidson's tactically
trained driver. With only two vehicles issued
to the command element, Hale almost
always drove the lead vehicle. One of us was
in that vehicle and the rest were in the
second or trail vehicle. Hale successfully
completed his tour with the C.O.B.R.A. Team.
Driver for General Davidson
Sergeant Hale was Davidson's tactically
trained driver. With only two vehicles issued
to the command element, Hale almost
always drove the lead vehicle. One of us was
in that vehicle and the rest were in the
second or trail vehicle. Hale successfully
completed his tour with the C.O.B.R.A. Team.
Staff Sergeant Kristi Self: "COBRA 5"
Wife of COBRA 2, Kristi extended her first tour
to remain in Iraq with her husband in 2004.
She was an experienced combat veteran
herself which is why COBRA 1 dubbed her the
"Warrior Princess" as well as "COBRA 5".
While the C.O.B.R.A. Team took care of the
general, Kristi continued her civil affairs
duties with the 350th Civil Affairs Command.
Wife of COBRA 2, Kristi extended her first tour
to remain in Iraq with her husband in 2004.
She was an experienced combat veteran
herself which is why COBRA 1 dubbed her the
"Warrior Princess" as well as "COBRA 5".
While the C.O.B.R.A. Team took care of the
general, Kristi continued her civil affairs
duties with the 350th Civil Affairs Command.
| The images and text on this website have been produced by Charles M. Grist and are not affiliated with the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the United States Army or any other official agency. |
| The content and images on this website © 2007 - 2010 by Charles M. Grist. All rights reserved. "My Last War - A Vietnam Veteran's Tour in Iraq" © 2009 by Charles M. Grist All rights reserved. |