rt of OIF were the 2004 assignment of the 1st Battalion from Korea to the Iraqi city of Habanera for a one-year rotation. Upon their return, the 1st Battalion redeployed to Colorado via their garrison in Korea. From Colorado, the 1st Battalion moved to Fort Campbell, Kentucky where the Army stood up the 4th Brigade Combat Team (BCT) on September 30th, 2005 under the 101st Airborne. Once established, the Army then added the 2nd Battalion on October 1st, 2005 under the 4th BCT to provide a second infantry battalion. Together, these modern day elements of the 506th would go on to participate in various deployments.
In 2005 the 506th again received its marching orders and deployed both the 1st and 2nd Battalions to Al Ramadi in Al-Anbar Province and Forward Operating Base Falcon in southern Baghdad respectively. The 2nd Battalion also served as cross-attached to the 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division between November 2005 and 2006 to assist in the National Resolution that provided for free and democratic elections. During the Baghdad clearance operations that set the stage for the Iraq War troop surge of 2007 under General David Petraeus, the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry conducted the first deliberate clear-hold-build operation in the Doura Market as part of Operation TOGETHER FORWARD II under Multi-National Division – Baghdad. Careful examination of the 2nd Battalion’s Techniques, Tactics, and Procedures during the joint operation resulted in the Iraqi National Police and Iraqi Police emulating their tactics for similar operations across Baghdad for the next six months, a temporary measure until surge forces could arrive and set up various Joint Security Stations. Following a year of deployment the 506th returned home to their garrisons in the United States. 
The dual deployments of the 506th continued for the 1st and 2nd Battalion with a 2008-2009 deployment to Ghazni, Wardak, and Paktika provinces in Afghanistan. As part of OEF the 1st Battalion split to assist the 10th Special Force Group in Kapitsa Province at FOB Kutchsbach. The 2nd Battalion remained predominantly in the Khost province, with slice elements in Paktika and Kandahar provinces as well. The fighting for the 2nd Battalion was particularly stiff and the unit lost seven soldiers in multiple engagements with the enemy during its deployment. In March 2009 the 506th redeployed back to Fort Campbell.
Thus in July 2010 the 2nd Battalion “White Currahees” began to prepare for its second Afghan deployment. In a ceremony, the 2nd Battalion’s Commander Lieutenant Colonel Donn Hill and his senior enlisted member Command Sergeant Major Christopher Menton cased the battalion’s colors ahead of the unit’s forward mobilization for OEF X-XII.  By late August that same year, a majority of the 2nd Battalion had established their positions throughout Paktika Province in the Gomal, Bermel, Gayan, Zerok, Sarobi, and Orgun districts. During the 2nd Battalion’s tenure in Afghanistan the unit would work tirelessly under the organization of Task Force “White Currahee” and achieved such notable accomplishments as the largest Combined Air Assault in the 506th Brigade’s history to that date into Charbaran Valley on October 27th.  Later in April 2011 the 2nd Battalion also launched Operation OVERLORD, a joint Afghan National Police and 2nd Battalion air assault into Naka District to clear and eliminate the insurgent staging areas that took months of preparation and planning.  By August 2011 the 2nd Battalion’s deployment in Afghanistan met its closure and the unit again returned to its stateside garrison comfortable in the knowledge that they had provided great security efforts in their area of responsibility while working to improve life for rural Afghans. 
For their efforts in the OEF X-XII deployment, the Command of the 2nd Battalion 506th Infantry established two versions of a deployment challenge coin to present to soldiers in recognition of their accomplishments. When asked about these coins, (then) 2nd Battalion Commander LTC Hill said,
The big thing we wanted was for the Soldier