Alaska-based troops prepare for deployment to Afghanistan

President Donald Trump's announcement of troop increases for the war in Afghanistan comes as 1,500 Alaska-based soldiers are preparing for deployment in September.

The military announced in April that the Anchorage-based 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, known as the "4-25," would deploy to Afghanistan later this year.

Trump announced Monday that he would bolster the number of troops in Afghanistan, but would not provide details about those numbers or when they would deploy.

There has been no guidance "that would change 4-25's planned deployment next month," said U.S. Army Alaska's spokesperson John Pennell.

"If the President's speech initiates any changes to our plans, the word will come to us via the official military chain of command, and our soldiers will be prepared for any direction they receive," he said.

The 4-25, which includes 2,600 soldiers housed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, was previously slated for elimination as part of a nationwide cut in Army force numbers, but efforts by Alaska's congressional delegation squashed that plan. 4-25 soldiers were the only ones to evade planned cuts of 40,000 troops.

[A brief history of the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division]