Okla. troops await call to Afghanistan

[unhappycamper]

Okla. troops await call to Afghanistan
The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Feb 21, 2009 11:17:39 EST

TULSA, Okla. — While most of the 17,000 additional troops being sent to Afghanistan have been identified, military officials in Oklahoma say they haven’t learned yet whether the state’s troops will be part of that buildup.

About 38,000 U.S. troops are in Afghanistan, and President Barack Obama has pledged to send another 17,000 to augment that force. About two-thirds of the additional troops already have been identified.

Last week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates ordered the deployment of 8,000 Marines from Camp Lejeune, N.C., to Afghanistan by late spring.

He also ordered 4,000 Army troops from the 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, at Fort Lewis, Wash., to deploy to Afghanistan by midsummer.

The remaining 5,000 additional troops to support those combat forces will receive deployment orders at a later date, according to the Department of Defense.


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/02/ap_okla_troops_callup_022109/%2e