Marines

As many as one-third of the 3,200 Marines who will deploy to Afghanistan in March will move into the country’s southern and western regions, where they will train Afghan units in anticipation of a possible spring offensive by Taliban forces in those areas. Army Maj. Gen. David M. Rodriguez, commander of Joint Task Force 82 at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, discussed details of the deployment during a Feb. 26 press conference. The one-time deployment, announced Jan. 15 by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, will involve members of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Camp Lejeune, N.C., and 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.