By AP
Fort Campbell, KY – U.S. Army Chief of Staff General George Casey says the deployment of the 101st Airborne Division is critical to making progress in the war in Afghanistan in the next 12 to 18 months. About 20,000 soldiers from Fort Campbell are deploying this year and Casey took a few minutes while on post over the weekend to say goodbye to about 250 soldiers who were leaving that night.
Casey says the Army accelerated the division's deployment because it wanted the division's expertise and experience in Afghanistan this year. After watching the division train for this deployment, he says the troops are agile and adaptable to the constantly changing conditions they will face in Afghanistan.