th ▁Infantry ▁Regiment ), ▁ 2 nd ▁Brigade , ▁ 3 4 th ▁Infantry ▁Division , ▁and ▁with ▁nearly ▁ 1 0 0 ▁key ▁positions ▁filled ▁by ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion ▁( I ron man ), ▁ 1 3 3 rd ▁Infantry ▁Regiment , ▁ 2 nd ▁Brigade , ▁ 3 4 th ▁Infantry ▁Division , ▁comm enced ▁combat ▁operations ▁at ▁ 1 3 ▁Provin cial ▁Re const ruction ▁Team ▁sites ▁throughout ▁Afghan istan ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁Operation ▁End uring ▁Fre edom , ▁returning ▁the ▁ 3 4 th ▁Infantry ▁Division ▁to ▁combat ▁after ▁ 5 9 ▁years ▁and ▁becoming ▁first ▁unit ▁in ▁the ▁division ▁to ▁wear ▁the ▁Red ▁Bull ▁patch ▁as ▁a ▁right - should er ▁combat ▁patch ▁since ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁The ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁book ▁W ords ▁in ▁the ▁D ust ▁by ▁former ▁ 3 4 th ▁ID ▁soldier ▁Tr ent ▁Re edy ▁is ▁a ▁novel ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁experiences ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 4 th ▁ID ▁soldiers ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁Far ah , ▁Afghan istan ▁PR T . ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁nearly ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁Iowa ▁National ▁Guard ▁soldiers , ▁with ▁ 2 8 ▁h omet own ▁send - offs , ▁left ▁for ▁a ▁year - long ▁deployment ▁to ▁Afghan istan , ▁making ▁it ▁the ▁largest ▁deployment ▁of ▁the ▁Iowa ▁National ▁Guard ▁since ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁Aug ment ed ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 – 1 3 4 th