The 1st Brigade Combat Team has played a key role in the wars.

It has been to both Iraq and Afghanistan twice in the last ten years.

Some of the soldiers are now on their third or even fourth tour of duty.

At Fort Drum Tuesday, an official deployment ceremony was held with the unit casing its colors for the trip overseas. 

This time, 1st BCT soldiers will be stationed in a number of different locations in Afghanistan to help bolster the Afghan army, police and border guards.   

The soldiers are part of an Afghan surge requested by President Barack Obama last fall.

The brigade was initially preparing for a tour in Iraq when a change was announced.

"In October, we got pulled off of Iraq and although we weren't officially told until the president made his announcement in December, we suspected we'd be going to Afghanistan. So really since October, which is now five months ago, we've kind of transitioned, studying more of the cultural and language aspects that are unique to Afghanistan," said 1st BCT Commander Colonel Bill Burleson.

A small portion of the brigade is already in Afghanistan.

Members of the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, known as the Triple Deuce, are stationed in Kabul.