ato on ▁received ▁an ▁award ▁for ▁being ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁shadow ▁units ▁in ▁the ▁army ▁for ▁their ▁safe ▁flight ▁record ▁and ▁mission ▁effect iveness . ▁The ▁units ▁were ▁activ ated ▁for ▁over ▁ 2 0 ▁months ▁sp ending ▁only ▁ 1 2 ▁in ▁Ira q . ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Company ▁A , ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion , ▁ 1 9 4 th ▁Arm or ▁Regiment ▁( 1 / 1 9 4 ▁AR ) ▁arrived ▁at ▁Camp ▁Ash raf ▁( about ▁ 8 0   km ▁north ▁of ▁Bag hd ad ) ▁to ▁conduct ▁security ▁and ▁con voy ▁operations ▁in ▁the ▁surrounding ▁area ▁and ▁conducted ▁joint ▁operations ▁with ▁Ira qi ▁Army ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁Ira qi ▁constitution ▁rat ification ▁vote . ▁The ▁ 1 5 1 - man ▁unit ▁was ▁formed ▁from ▁nearly ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁soldiers ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 / 1 9 4 th ▁and ▁Company ▁A ▁was ▁chosen ▁to ▁honor ▁the ▁unit ' s ▁line age ▁of ▁the ▁soldiers ▁who ▁fought ▁to ▁defend ▁the ▁Philippines ▁against ▁the ▁Japanese ▁and ▁the ▁B ata an ▁Death ▁March ▁that ▁followed . ▁The ▁unit ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Mer itor ious ▁Unit ▁Comm end ation ▁for ▁its ▁exception al ▁service . ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁ 1 st ▁Brigade , ▁ 3 4 th ▁Infantry ▁Division ▁comm enced ▁combat ▁operations ▁in ▁central ▁and ▁southern ▁Ira q ▁as ▁part ▁of