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FORT DRUM Soldiers from the posts 10th Combat Aviation Brigade will be deploying to Afghanistan, according to an announcement Thursday afternoon by the Department of Defense.
About 2,200 personnel from the brigade will be deploying during the coming rotation of forces in the country. They will perform aerial support missions during their nine-month deployment.
The 10th CAB has anticipated a mission to Afghanistan and has aggressively trained at all levels, Col. David J. Francis, the brigades commander, said in a press release. We are prepared and ready for this deployment.
Troops are scheduled to leave the area in the spring. The brigades last deployment was in October 2010. The brigade has completed three tours of Afghanistan, along with one in Iraq.
The deployment announcement follows the recent departure of soldiers from the posts 1st and 2nd Brigade Combat Teams, 10th Mountain Division. About 3,000 soldiers have deployed in an assistance brigade role, divided into smaller teams that advise Afghan police or military forces.
The Pentagons news release Thursday also announced the deployment of about 2,250 personnel from the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga., and about 500 from the headquarters of III Corps, Fort Hood, Texas.
Commanding the III Corps is Lt. Gen. Mark A. Milley, who served as commander of Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division until his departure in December.