▁in ▁Ira q ▁and ▁for ▁the ▁nation ," ▁said ▁Brig . ▁Gen . ▁James ▁C . ▁Bo oz er , ▁a ▁deput y ▁command ing ▁general ▁for ▁ 1 st ▁AD ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁division ' s ▁deployment . ▁The ▁division ▁began ▁its ▁deployment ▁the ▁same ▁day ▁Pet ra eus ▁delivered ▁his ▁Report ▁to ▁Congress ▁on ▁the ▁Situ ation ▁in ▁Ira q , ▁con cluding ▁that ▁" the ▁military ▁object ives ▁of ▁the ▁sur ge ▁are , ▁in ▁large ▁measure , ▁being ▁met ." ▁ ▁The ▁division , ▁commanded ▁by ▁then - M aj or ▁General ▁Mark ▁H ert ling , ▁conducted ▁a ▁relief ▁in ▁place ▁with ▁the ▁ 2 5 th ▁Infantry ▁Division ▁and ▁assumed ▁command ▁of ▁Multi - National ▁Division ▁North , ▁head qu arter ed ▁in ▁T ik rit , ▁Ira q , ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁just ▁as ▁Mac F ar land ' s ▁An bar ▁Aw ak ening ▁was ▁pushing ▁A Q I ▁out ▁of ▁An bar . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁in ▁northern ▁Ira q , ▁enemy ▁attacks ▁aver aged ▁ 1 , 8 0 0 ▁a ▁month , ▁the ▁Ira q is ▁had ▁little ▁trust ▁in ▁their ▁central ▁government , ▁and ▁the ▁un emp loyment ▁rate ▁was ▁high . ▁ ▁H ert ling ▁assumed ▁responsibility ▁for ▁all ▁Co al ition ▁forces ▁in ▁Northern ▁Ira q . ▁ ▁Multi - National ▁Division ▁North ▁was ▁composed ▁of ▁five ▁man eu ver ▁brig ade ▁combat ▁teams , ▁a ▁combat ▁av iation