Major Steve Chong deployed to Kuwait as the commander of Service Battery, 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery - part of 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division - in September 2002 for Operation Desert Spring. It was originally supposed to be a six-month tour, but in February he found out they would be going north. He stayed at the BSA and coordinated the pushing of supplies to the combat units. His first movement into Iraq took him to Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) and a month later he moved out to Fallujah. While in Baghdad, his unit conducted presence patrols in a sector of the town and also made daily supply runs to BIAP. In trying to build a relationship with the Iraqis, his unit participated in the rebuilding of an all-girls school. His soldiers surprised him and he learned never to underestimate what a US soldier can do.

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