Pentagon announces 3,100-troop deployment to Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon announced the latest troop deployment for Afghanistan Tuesday, ensuring that the bulk of the additional forces requested by President Obama will be in place this summer.

The Defense Department announced 3,100 troops, mostly from the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas, would deploy to Afghanistan sometime this summer.

With Tuesday’s announcement, the Pentagon has issued
deployment orders for 25,000 of the 30,000 additional troops approved
by the Obama administration.

The orders come amid reports of White House concern over the pace of the troop buildup. However, both White House and Pentagon officials have downplayed reports of tension, although Defense Department officials are pushing to quickly move troops into the country.

“It is January, and we have 25,000 of the 30,000 identified and with deployment orders to go,” said Bryan G. Whitman, the Pentagon spokesman. “We are on the schedule we set out. These forces are moving in rapidly.”

Tuesday’s announcement included 2,600 soldiers assigned to the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Hood as well as 500 other support troops.

They will join more than 7,500 Marines from Camp Lejeune, N.C., 3,400 Army soldiers from Fort Drum, N.Y., 3,400 Army troops from Fort Campbell, Ky., and nearly 7,000 support troops.

The additional troops will increase the size of the U.S. force in Afghanistan to nearly 100,000.

Citing security concerns, Whitman would not release the precise date that the aviation brigade would deploy to Afghanistan.

When the new Afghanistan war strategy was announced in December, White House
officials said they wanted the surge forces to be in place within six
months. During congressional testimony later, top Pentagon officials
said the buildup would be completed by the fall.

Waving off talk of tension, officials have insisted that both the White House
and Pentagon want the troops in place in order to have maximum impact.
One official, speaking about the internal planning process on condition
of anonymity, said that nearly all of the forces would be in place by
August.

The logistics of moving extra forces into Afghanistan
pose formidable challenges. Not only must extra equipment for the
forces be shipped or flown into the country, but facilities to feed and
shelter the troops must be constructed.

Although some bases in Afghanistan
are built up, with regular barracks and expansive chow halls, military
leaders are pushing for troops to travel more lightly and live in
austere conditions.

New facilities will be bare-bones compared with existing large bases at Bagram Airfield or those located near Kabul, officials have said. However, they cautioned, even spare facilities take time to build.

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