as part of the Dagger Brigade (2/1ID). The battalion's mission was to partner with the 9th and 11th Iraqi Army Divisions to increase their operational capabilities. The efforts of the battalion and its Military Transition Teams were instrumental in the continued development of those forces and their ability to provide security for Iraq. On June 6, the sniper section, attached to 1-7FA at Camp Loyalty, attempted to engage insurgents who launched an IRAM (improvised, rocket-assisted, munition) attack that killed several Soldiers and friends. Barbaric operated at OLD MOD, Chaos operated at FOB Hammer, Dog operated at Rustimiyah until late January 2011 when it rejoined Apocalypse, Phantom, and HHC at Camp Taji, Iraq. Barbaric led the movement of the battalion's motorized equipment to Kuwait during the retrograde operations from Iraq to Kuwait in October 2011. The Vanguards redeployed to Fort Riley, KS in November, 2011 and began preparations for its next mission. Operation Enduring Freedom, Horn of Africa, 2013-14. 1–18 IN deployed to the Horn of Africa in December 2013 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom – HOA. The battalion secured key facilities, trained partner nation military forces throughout East Africa and manned the East African Response Force (EARF). Almost immediately upon arrival in theater, the Department of State requested security support in Juba, South Sudan. The EARF deployed to Juba and helped secure the Embassy from December 2013 to April 2014. During this mission, the battalion helped evacuate over 700 US and several other nations' citizens. Victory Day On 9 May 2010, a detachment led by Captain Matthew Strand from the 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment represented the United States in Russia's Victory Day parade across Red Square and the request of Russian Minister of Defence Anatoly Serdyukov in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. They were joined by British, French, and Polish troops as well as detachments from the CIS member states. Labeled by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev as the "Anti-Hitler Coalition," it marked the first time in history that American and NATO troops joined the Russian Military in the 9 May parade. A member of the contingent from Kemah, Texas, Russian-born 1st Lieutenant Ilya Ivanov, is a descendant of Major Alexander Peteryaev, a platoon leader in the Soviet Red Army. The Head of the Military University of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Colonel General Valery Marchenkov later awarded to soldiers for their participation in the