BOISE, Idaho AP – For six years, Ali Al-Lati has worked with the U.S. military, teaching soldiers simple Iraqi words and commands, telling them about the cultural mores of his native land and offering advice on how to deal with the extreme weather they’ll face in Iraq.

He’s a frequent visitor at the U.S. Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La., and has passed the background checks necessary to work for a Department of Defense contractor.