Posted on 12/22/2009 5:43:19 PM PST by SandRat
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2009 – Defense Department officials today identified 6,000 servicemembers to deploy in 2010 as part of President Barack Obama’s order to increase the U.S. footprint in Afghanistan.
About 3,400 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team are headed to Afghanistan in early summer, according to a statement released by the Pentagon. The soldiers are based out of Fort Campbell, Ky.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates also approved deployment orders for about 2,600 support forces who will begin deploying to various locations at staggered times in the spring.
The president announced Dec. 1 that the United States would send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. Some already have arrived. The majority of the surge forces will operate in southern Afghanistan, and are expected to arrive by summer’s end. Some 3,000 to 4,000 troops will arrive sometime in the fall to complete the plus-up, Pentagon officials said.
The surge augments the international mission to train Afghan security forces and expel insurgent strongholds. White House and Pentagon officials anticipate the Afghan troop surge to last until July 2011, when U.S. and NATO forces are expected to begin handing over security responsibility to the Afghans.
As of Dec. 12, 68,000 U.S. troops and 42,000 NATO and allied forces are serving in Afghanistan
My son is in that group. Actually they are getting readied for what is hinted to be a March deployment. I am not any more happy for him to be going. There is no air support or artillery support allowed now and a troop being fired upon just about has to call the unit legal team before he can fire his weapon after being fired upon. We need to stay in Af’stan as long as this Islamic war is on but if we are going to be that prissy then get the hell out and prepare to fight it all right here.
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