FORT BRAGG, N.C. — Col. Christopher Gibson, the former operations officer at Schofield Baracks in Hawai'i, has taken command of an 82nd Airborne Division brigade that spearheaded the surge into Baghdad.

Gibson took over the 2nd Brigade Combat Team during a ceremony today.

The brigade spent 15 months restoring order to the Iraqi capital and was instrumental in bringing violence in Baghdad to its lowest level since 2004. The brigade has about 3,000 soldiers.

Gibson replaces Col. B. Don Farris. Farris was commander when the brigade deployed days after receiving emergency orders in January 2007. During a mission in May 2007, Farris was seriously wounded by sniper fire. He recovered and returned to Iraq months later to finish the deployment.

Gibson served with the 2nd Brigade from 2004 to 2006. He led his battalion to Iraq twice on short notice. Gibson's most recent assignment was as the operations officer for the 25th Infantry Division based in Hawai'i.