I just ran across this show and originally thought it was a rerun but it's a first run.  I think Jesse James got a great learning experience too.  He spent 10 days at Balad Air Base converting a gutted humvee to a souped up 1000 hwp flying machine.

It's on the Discovery Channel and is still on if you're reading this until 10pm CDT.

In Iraq, Jesse James sees action for a reluctant Discovery Channel

He spent 10 days in Iraq just outside of Baghdad, where he stayed with troops of the 181st Transportation Battalion. As part of the trip, James worked alongside a group of mechanics to soup up a war-damaged Humvee.

“It was totally, like, life-changing,” James says of the trip. “There’s so much stuff flying around, in every aspect of the media, everybody claims to know what’s going on over there. I just wanted to go see what’s really happening.”

And did he.

In one scene, James is downright giddy while shooting a machine gun and hanging out of a helicopter. In another, he visits injured soldiers in a hospital. And in another, the air-raid sirens go off and the battalion is seen moving to a safe place.

“It’s not safe,” he says. “It’s as safe as can be. We’re sitting there laughing and joking during the mortar attack, but three soldiers were killed then. You can hear bombs and stuff like that going off.”

Update after watching the show: You know what was really cool about this show?  Jesse James went to Iraq against the wishes of the Discovery Channel, his new wife Sandra Bullock (course what wife would "want" their husband to go to Iraq?) and his family.  Plus, he had to pay for the engine and parts for this conversion and pay to have it shipped to Iraq.  I will say that it is evident that he was woefully ignorant of the situation in Iraq and what our Military is all about, this is now someone who will probably forever be a defender of those who defend us. 

The whole project fell apart which was interesting to see.  Somebody screwed up and something with the pump broke.  I think it made the show all the more interesting, the dynamics of emotion with not achieving the goal.  I was kind of looking forward to seeing this hotrod humvee.  They had a special paint job that had been done that was kickin'. 

It was a good Iraq special to watch, look for it to be replayed.  I know I will cause I missed the first 30 minutes.