The 10th Mountain Division's headquarters has been notified by the Department of Defense it will deploy to Afghanistan in the fall, according to a statement from the division Wednesday.

"The 10th Mountain Division has continuously supported overseas contingency operations since 2001 and we are well versed in command and control operations in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Maj. Gen. James Terry, 10th Mountain Division commander.

The division headquarters previously deployed to Afghanistan in 2001, 2003 and again in 2006 where it comprised the core of Combined Joint Task Force-76.

The division headquarters most recent deployment was to Iraq in 2008 where it served as the headquarters for Multi-National Division South, returning home in May 2009.

Currently, 3,500 members of the division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team are serving in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  The 1st Brigade Combat Team deployed one battalion to Afghanistan in January and is preparing the remainder of its units to deploy this spring as part of the 30,000 troops authorized by President Barack Obama on Nov. 30, 2009.

- from a statement issued by Fort Drum's public affairs office