The battalion deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in the Kunar and Laghman provinces in northeastern Afghanistan in 2005–2006. During this deployment, the battalion planned and participated in Operation Red Wings and planned and carried out Operation Whalers. While Red Wings garnered a large amount of press due to the loss of 19 special operations personnel, Whalers, which was successful in defeating the target cell that inflicted the losses of Red Wings, was little reported at the time. 2/3 lost four members of the battalion during this deployment.