3rd Infantry Division Operations - Fort Stewart - U.S. Army

The Surge 103
division built a noncommissioned officer academy that graduated
hundreds of new leaders annually. In doing so, seeds were
planted for success on fertile ground amid a nation with renewed
hope.
The advent of the Sons of Iraq had "thickened the force."
Nearly forty thousand men were under contract, bringing not
just security, but also income for payroll to their families across
the country. Of the 246 SoI programs implemented, 211 were
Sunni, 20 Shia, and 15 mixed programs - unique in Iraq at the
time. Those SoI were extremely effective in turning over caches
and IEDs. Their presence was a nightmare come true to the
enemies of Iraq's people.
On May 15th, the 3rd HBCT transferred authority to the
2nd Brigade of the 1st Armored Division. In the previous 15
months, Sledgehammer had disrupted AQI and Shia extremists
east of Baghdad. It bettered the lives of the people of the
Mada'in Qada, restoring law and order. It helped a once intimidated
population re-establish a functional seat of government.
It restored public health and improved the economy by
addressing both the supply of water to the Qada and its quality.
The quantity of water capacity for crop irrigation improved by
some 400% and quality was increased by 280%. In renovating
25 schools and providing supplies to its faculty and students,
the brigade helped restore hope for generations to come. It
increased the capability and capacity of the 1st and 3rd National
Police Brigade as well as its dignity. The brigade’s drive to
improve the economy could be seen, heard, and even smelled.
The odor of heavy fuel oil wafting through the desert east of
Baghdad signaled the return of the Narhwan Brick Factory,
literally producing thousands of jobs and the building blocks of
a new Iraq every day.
The 2nd BCT was set to transfer authority for its area of