 Because FOB Falcon was considered by Iraqi officials to be outside of Baghdad proper, it was not affected by the planned withdrawal of American combat troops from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009.It was not uncommon for bases like FOB Falcon to be mortared by insurgents who used the surrounding neighborhoods as cover, risking the lives of Iraq civilians and those who lived on the FOB while they served.Small arms fire and the use of RPGs (Rocket Propelled Grenades) were also common and more prevalent during the early years of the deployments.