C000245

Keystone shaped with, antique brass colored coin 2 inches wide x 2-5/16 inches high.

SIDE 1 -

SIDE 2

2nd Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division (2/28 BCT) was mobilized in Jan 05 consisting of approx. 4,000 National Guardsmen from over 30 states. Over 2,000 of the soldiers were from the PA ANG.

In late June and early July 2005 2nd Brigade soldiers deployed to the Al-Anbar Province and were under the cmd of the 2nd Marine Div until Mar 06 and then under command of 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Fwd thru Jun 06.

The 2/28 BCT had a large area of operations (AO) in central Al Anbar Province, but focused operations along the Euphrates River Valley from Ramadi to Habiniya. The Ramadi area, known as one of the most violent and dangerous areas in Iraq, was their their main effort. The BCT mission was to neutralize the insurgency and develop Iraqi Security Forces within the AO creating stable and secure conditions to allow for self-governance. It conducted counterinsurgency operations to kill or detain insurgents, located weapons caches, detected improvised explosive devices (IEDs), engaged in on-going dialogue with community and government leaders, recruited, trained and integrated Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police, and conducted civil affairs projects to improve sewer, water, energy, medical and school facilities.