Marines will be first to deploy to Afghanistan

The Defense Department on Monday announced the deployment of 16,000 additional forces to Afghanistan, the initial portion of the surge of 30,000 U.S. troops announced by President Obama last week to quell rising violence and train Afghan security forces.

The first unit -- an infantry battalion task force with about 1,500 Marines from Camp Lejeune, N.C. -- will deploy to Afghanistan this month. Another 6,200 Marines from Camp Lejeune will deploy in early spring, while approximately 800 Marines from Camp Pendleton, Calif., will go to Afghanistan in the spring.

Meanwhile, 3,400 soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y., will deploy to Afghanistan in early spring to conduct a training mission.

In addition, Defense Secretary Robert Gates approved the deployment of 4,100 support forces this spring.