Retired soldier speaks about the new role of US troops in Iraq

(NEWSCHANNEL 3) - US troops are now taking on a very different role in Iraq.

The only American soldiers to be found in Iraq's major cities now are advisors to the Iraqi security forces who have taken over responsibility for security.

The Iraqi people have been celebrating the pullback, but it hasn't come without troubles. Violence has been a challenge.

On Tuesday, a car bomb went off in a crowded market, killing 33 people.

Some fear the violence will escalate now that the Americans have drawn down their presence.

Newschannel 3 spoke with a retired Master Sergeant in the Army who was injured in Iraq to get his reaction on the latest move.

Mike Bevins was a career military man until his injury sent him home for good, now he watches what he calls 'progress' from home.

"It's certainly better," said Bevins.

It's been five years since Bevins was in Iraq, but he's not out of the loop.

"I mean, talking to guys I know there, before, since, and after at later times, the violence levels have changed and gone down," said Bevins.

The only reason Bevins is at home is because he was injured in Iraq two weeks after moving across the border.

"I have a vague recollection of the blast, we were hit by an IED," said Bevins.

Shrapnel took away eyesight in one of Bevins' eyes and broke his jaw. He spent eight months at Walter Reed Medical Center getting reconstructive surgeries.

Bevins believes the mission in Iraq is worthwhile, when he was in Iraq, troops lived outside of the cities on bases. The surge changed that and put troops in urban areas full time. Now, troops are going back to the bases.

"It's not like they're leaving," said Bevins. "They're still available when necessary."

Per an agreement with Iraq, US troops have to leave the cities. Bevins believes the time is right to move out.

"I hope so. They've done a lot of work, obviously, since they started the whole operation of moving them into the cities. They put a big dent in all of the various insurgent groups, they spent a lot of time training the Iraqi forces," said Bevins.

Bevins says it's obvious that progress has been made, but he feels a lot of people are forgetting something.

"It wasn't going real well until we changed our focus and our strategy, under the previous president, George Bush, and I haven't seen him get a bit of credit for that," said Bevins.