Afghanistan Deployment Realigned

The Department of Defense has adjusted planned deployment of the 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division to Afghanistan. The entire brigade will not deploy as announced in December 2004; instead one battalion-sized task force consisting of an infantry battalion and attached fire-support, communications and logistics elements will deploy in mid-2006 to assist transition of the coalition operations to the NATO International Security Assistance Force in southern Afghanistan. The non-deploying elements of the brigade will remain prepared to deploy on 15 day notice. The adjustment will reduce U.S. force levels conducting counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan from nearly 19,000 to approximately 16,500. This primarily reflects the growing presence of NATO forces in Afghanistan. Nevertheless, the United States will remain the largest troop and financial contributor to the overall security mission in Afghanistan, said officials.