Fiji's Land Force commander, Colonel Pita Driti, says it was not his choice to head to Iraq, but he is happy to be having a break.
Colonel Driti will leave shortly to join Fiji troops on mission in Iraq for six months.
He says the move will give him a break from the pressure of operations in Fiji:
"The job up there is not as stressful as what we are going through there and it's much easier there are only 200 plus men out there in the field that I have to look after as Contingent Commander and that is a lot of load off my shoulders and being out there will be more relaxed than being here where I have to lead 2,000 plus men."
Colonel Driti says he expects to return to his position as Land Force Commander at the end of his deployment.
He does not think his position within the military has been undermined in any way