DoD Announces Units for Upcoming Afghanistan Rotation
December 03, 2007

The Department of Defense announced today that the 53rd and 48th Brigade Combat Teams have been alerted to deploy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to continue ongoing operations and training of the Afghan National Security Forces.

The 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a National Guard unit from Georgia, and will concentrate on training Afghan National Security Forces. The 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a National Guard unit from Florida, which will assume battle space in Afghanistan, where it will perform the full spectrum of operations. Approximately 7,000 service members have been alerted and will deploy in the summer of 2009. The department has alerted the units of this deployment in order to give soldiers the maximum time possible to conduct training specific to Afghanistan as well as provide predictability for family members and employers.

This rotation reflects the continued U.S. commitment to assisting in the security of Afghanistan and the development of the Afghan National Security Forces. Afghan forces continue to improve capability and assume responsibility for security. Force levels in Afghanistan continue to be conditions-based, and are determined based on the recommendations of military commanders in Afghanistan and in consultation with the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

DoD will continue to announce major unit deployments as the units are identified and alerted. For information on the units announced today, please contact the Georgia National Guard public affairs office at (678) 569-6064, and the Florida National Guard public affairs office at (904) 823-0168.