 Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie Companies returned in August 2009 and resumed reserve status.In 2006, soldiers from the 490th volunteered to deploy with other units to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.Also in 2006, the 490th sent a detachment of five soldiers (two headquarters personnel and one civil affairs team) to support the 451st Civil Affairs Battalion in the annual Operation Balikatan (which means "Shoulder to Shoulder") exercise, a joint effort between US special operations personnel and Filipino military assets in the southern islands of the Philippines in the region of Jolo to deny assets to Al Qaeda and aid in defeating them.