Cooling was one of only a handful of commanders throughout the Global War on Terror to hold command of a battalion from pre-deployment training for Operation Enduring Freedom, then command throughout the deployment to Afghanistan, then go through pre-deployment training for Operation Iraqi Freedom and command through the Iraq deployment. After 3/3's deployment to Afghanistan, the battalion, under Cooling's leadership, undertook their pre-deployment training for a deployment to the Haditha Triad region of western Iraq's Al Anbar Province. During their time in the Haditha Triad region, the Marines of 3/3 conducted more than 8,000 patrols, located 54 weapons caches and detained more than 800 insurgents and suspected insurgents. Among notable achievements during 3/3's time in the Haditha Triad was the locating of a man named "Colonel Farouk." The Marines of the battalion returned Colonel Farouk to the city of Haditha, his home, where he began rebuilding a police force with aid and assistance from Marines of 3/3 and then 2/3. Farouk would be a critical reason for ultimate success in the Triad over Al Qaeda in Iraq. Another key accomplishment of 3/3's time in the triad was the bolstering of the capabilities of the Iraqi Army in the region. When 3/3 arrived, units of the Iraqi Army in the area under Marine Corps supervision conducted operations under a "partnered squad" construct, meaning that the Iraqi Army could not conduct independent operations at the squad level. Upon completion of their tour, the Iraqi Army in the region could conduct independent battalion level operations, a significant increase in capabilities.
