Army Announces Winter Deployments to Afghanistan, Korea

This winter, the U.S. Army will deploy elements of the 4th Infantry and 10th Mountain divisions to Afghanistan and send a brigade combat team from the 1st Armored Division to Korea.

The deployments are part of a scheduled rotation of forces, according to a July 26 Army press release.

The 4th ID's headquarters will deploy from Fort Carson, Colorado, and will replace the headquarters element of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) to support Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan.

In addition, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain, will deploy to Afghanistan from Fort Drum, New York, to replace the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, in support of Freedom's Sentinel.

"The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, is well-trained and ready for any mission the Army calls us to do," Col. Paul Larson, 2nd BCT commander, said in the release. "We are not strangers to operations in Afghanistan as proven through our extensive deployment history. Our soldiers have conducted rigorous and realistic training over the past two years, which has made mentally and physically fit soldiers ready for the mission we will soon face."

Maj. Gen. Randy George, commander of the 4th ID, said his "Ivy" soldiers are "highly trained and ready to answer the call to fight and win our nation's wars and to support this important mission in Afghanistan."

The Army also announced it will deploy the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, to Korea this winter.

The 3rd ABCT will replace the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, to provide support to Republic of Korea forces, the release states.

"The Bulldog Brigade is looking forward to supporting the mission in the Republic of Korea," said Col. Marc Cloutier, commander of 3rd ABCT. "We are honored to sustain and strengthen the long-standing ROK-U.S. alliance, and our soldiers are trained and ready for this important mission."

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.