The nurses at the hospital tried to soothe me, and they even tried unsuccessfully at one point to return me to Americans.

Certain days I think definitely because we went in there and we got Saddam and that was our mission. On other days, we lost so many lives and so many brothers and sisters...on that aspect, no.

I remember the first time I put on the Army uniform. I just felt like a totally different person - I felt proud.

I have repeatedly said, when asked, that if the stories about me helped inspired our troops and rally a nation, then perhaps there was some good.

I don't come from a rich family - it's not like we lived in a cardboard box, but we didn't have a ton of money.

I woke up and all I could see was Iraqis standing all around me, looking down upon me. I knew at that moment something terrible had happened and I wasn't in the right place.

Honesty has always been very important to me.