Sons of Iraq
No longer the infantry battalion it once was, the new CAV battalion returned to Iraq in September 2005 and fought from FOB Falcon in Baghdad for three months, before moving north to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Brassfield-Mora in Samarra, along the Tigris River. While the battalion was serving in Samarra the Golden Dome Mosque, a Shi’ite holy site, was blown up by insurgents. This created a volatile situation which the Iron Rakkasans defused with precise counterinsurgency operations. The battalion redeployed to Fort Campbell in September 2006. Twelve months later, in September 2007, the Iron Rakkasans deployed as part of the Surge to Yusufiyah, Iraq. During their tour the battalion supervised over 5000 Sons of Iraq (or members of the Awakening); trained and partnered with the 17th Iraqi Army Division; conducted dozens of raids, air assaults, and cordon and searches; and earned the Valorous Unit Award. The battalion's counterinsurgency operations ensured a peaceful transition of control of the area to the Iraqi Security Forces upon redeployment in November 2008. With over three years of combat operations in Iraq, the battalion earned the Iraqi Campaign Streamer.