The emergence of Iraqi security forces throughout Fallujah allowed the Marines to consider a Civil Affairs "hearts and minds" program that many thought Marines would be doing when they first returned to Iraq in 2004. In this operation, Marines conducted a two-day operation in Sheik Khamis' area that included Civil Affairs Officers, Legal Officers, physicians, and veterinarians. Van Opdorp said the physicians and veterinarians treated hundreds of Iraqis and herds of sheep and cattle. The Legal Officers, he said, made payments for various small claims that Iraqis in that area had against the American forces. The operation was a tremendous success. "When you do something like that ... they come to realize more and more that these guys aren't occupiers, they are just trying to continue to help us so we can help ourselves." Van Opdorp said, "I think that the transition of Fallujah to the 2nd Brigade the Iraqi Army and to the Iraqi Police was a tremendous accomplishment that 1/24 will look at." He credited the 60% reduction in violent acts during his battalion's tenure in Fallujah to the work his Marines did in creating conditions to return responsibility for certain functions to Iraqi control.