Fort Hood Soldiers Likely in Afghan Surge

HOUSTON (AP) _ A Pentagon spokesman says hurry-up deployments to Afghanistan by Army combat units at Fort Hood and other stateside posts are likely early next year.

That’s in the wake of President Barack Obama’s disclosure Tuesday night of plans for a 30,000-troop surge to Afghanistan.

Marine Maj. Shawn Turner is a spokesman for Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. He tells the Houston Chronicle that Fort Hood-based units and others at U.S. Army and Marine corps bases will be designated publicly as soon as Friday to join the surge.

Turner did not specify units likely to deploy to Afghanistan. However, he said two Fort Hood-based combat units, the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 4th Brigade Combat Team from the 1st Cavalry Division, will continue preparing for previously planned deployment to Iraq starting next year.

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