In April 2003, Delta Company 1st Platoon and H&S Company Black Sheep Platoon, 2nd Section was attached to 2nd Battalion 8th Marines as part of "Task Force Rebel". Task Force Rebel was tasked with patrolling and securing the city of Al Kut in the Wasit province. In May 2003 the battalion was reconstituted as a whole and conducted surveillance and reconnaissance operations along the Iraq/Iran Border. On June 2, 2003, the battalion moved to the 1st Marine Division HQ, located in Al Hilla to act as the Division quick reaction force. Bravo Company was based in Ad Diwaniyah, and generally conducted missions separately from the rest of the battalion. On June 13, 2003 Task Force Scorpion was activated and moved to the Northern Babil province with orders to secure Army convoy routes in and out of Forward Operating Base Dogwood. The core of Task Force Scorpion was initially formed around 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, consisting initially of H&S and Alpha Companies, 4th LAR; Co C, 1st Battalion 4th Marines, Co I (Rein), 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, Co E, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, two platoons from Force Reconnaissance; an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) detachment; and elements of Radio Battalion. The Task Force was later reinforced with Delta Company and two other active duty infantry companies from 1st Battalion 7th Marines. Task Force Scorpion's offensive posture and heavy patrolling effectively reduced the number of attacks on American soldiers in the area. The battalion conducted numerous raids and was eventually awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for its work as part of I Marine Expeditionary Force.