The Pentagon today identified eight major units that will deploy to Afghanistan, including the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team out of Schofield Barracks, which is headed to one of the most challenging regions of eastern Afghanistan.

The 3rd Brigade’s approximately 3,500 soldiers will deploy at the end of March and in April to Kunar, Nuristan, Laghman and Nangarhar provinces on the border with Pakistan, officials said.

Mountainous Kunar and Nuristan provinces in particular have seen regular and deadly clashes with U.S. forces since the American presence was increased in the region in 2005.
The Pentagon said the scheduled rotation for the replacement forces will begin in early 2011 and continue through the fall of 2011.

The announcement involves one headquarters totaling 800 personnel, two combat aviation brigades totaling 5,500 personnel, and five infantry brigade combat teams totaling 18,000 personnel.

Headquarters units:
I Corps Headquarters, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Combat Aviation Brigades:
159th Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.
82nd Airborne Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Infantry Brigade Combat Teams:
3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, Ky.
3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks.
1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.
2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.