Wednesday, February 15, 2012

The Pentagon is offering new details of its plan for shifting from a combat mission in Afghanistan to one focused on training and advising Afghan forces as they gradually shoulder more of the combat burden.

The Army on Wednesday identified five U.S.-based brigades, as well as an Army reserve organization, that will be reconfigured and sent to Afghanistan between April and August to "generate, employ and sustain" Afghan forces.

Each brigade will be sent with fewer than half its assigned number of soldiers and will comprise only officers and senior non-commissioned officers, along with a contingent of Defense Department civilians. Once in Afghanistan they will operate in 18-person teams in a train-and-advise role.

The brigades are based in Kentucky, Georgia, Colorado, Texas and Louisiana.