[2][3] More recently, Brigade assets participated in Defender Europe 24 conducting exercises across Norway and NATO’s two newest members, Sweden and Finland.

The six subordinate battalions were first brought together in September 2004 with a specific mission, making them unique among other Army entities: to support Operation Enduring Freedom, which they would go on to do with four deployments to Afghanistan.

It was during this deployment that SFC Jared C. Monti, of 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, earned the Medal of Honor while protecting his soldiers from an overwhelming Taliban attack on his unit's position.

In January 2009, the Spartan Brigade deployed again to Afghanistan, returning to RC-East, where they were tasked with providing security for the Logar and Wardak provinces as well as the southern entrance to the country's capital.

The missions were conducted under three main operations – "To the River", "To the Core" and "To the Summit", which maintained continuous pressure on the enemy, eventually driving them out of their place of inception.

However, the most notable differences are a considerably smaller number of personnel and the almost total emphasis placed on the utilization of several, highly specialized Security force advise and assist teams, or SFAATs.

Although they deployed as a smaller contingent, they assumed responsibility for most of the provinces in the region – among them Wardak, Logar, Ghazni, Khost, Paktia, and Paktika – thus relieving a division-size element.

The Afghans were able to successfully hold a grand council of leaders, also known as a Loya Jirga in Pashto, as well as the Ghazni Islamic festival, which was attended by dignitaries and followers from around the world.