Additional Troops to Afghanistan

02/15/2009 - U.S. Soldiers from Alpha Company, 1st Platoon, Personnel Security Detail, 101st Airborne Division exit a CH-47 Chinook helicopter to provide security in Bagram, Afghanistan, Feb. 15, 2009.

02/15/2009 - A U.S Soldier pulls security as fellow Soldiers from his unit unload a CH-47 Chinook helicopter in Bagram, Afghanistan, Feb. 15, 2009. The Soldiers are assigned to Special Troops Battalion, 101st Airborne Division.

DoD photos by Sgt. Prentice C. Martin-Bowen, U.S. Army/Released

President Obama has ordered additional troops to Afghanistan. This partially fulfills the request made by Army Gen. David McKiernan to increase the troop strength. He has also requested another combat brigade team.

A total of 12,000 troops will be deployed later this Spring. The orders are for up to 17,000 troops, with the remaining 5,000 to be support troops.

The 4,000 soldiers are part of the 2nd Infantry Division's 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team based at Fort Lewis, Washington, and the 8,000 Marines serve with the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Snow covered and cold - dusty and hot - Afghanistan is a varied and difficult environment. This will not be an easy deployment for these troops.

To read more about Obama's position on the troop increase go here.