Another wave of 3rd Infantry Division troops based at Ft. Stewart is heading to Afghanistan this month for a year-long deployment as the U.S. draws down its troops there.
The division’s headquarters will travel to Afghanistan, while some supporting elements will be based in Qatar and Kuwait. In all, 200 troops are deploying as part of the mission.
The 3rd Infantry Division — which has previously sent troops to Afghanistan — is holding a “casing of the colors” deployment ceremony Thursday at Ft. Stewart at 4:30 p.m.
In May, President Barack Obama announced he would pull all combat troops out of Afghanistan by the end of 2016 after more than a decade of fighting there. About 22,000 troops are expected to come home by the end of this year, leaving a much smaller force to train Afghan troops and fight terrorists. By the end of 2016, the U.S. military will shrink to a “normal embassy presence” in Kabul.
“We look forward to joining the team in Afghanistan and doing our part to ensure the [Afghan National Security Forces] are left a more capable force, and to solidify the incredible gains of those who have served and sacrificed before us,” Maj. Gen. Mike Murray, 3rd Infantry Division commander, said in a recent U.S. military article about the deployment.
