| 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 was 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 was a police
officer in Central Florida,
a Vietnam veteran and
an Army Ranger. He is
also a father and
grandfather.
| 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 |
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.
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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.
