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When Maj. Gen. Lee Quintas took command of the 3rd Infantry Division in May, he said Fort Stewart felt like home. Now, just a few months into his tenure as commander of the storied Marne Division, Quintas and other senior leaders are headed to Afghanistan to help the war-torn countrys security forces.

The Marne Express is now ready to leave the station, Quintas said Friday after he and Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel Hendrex cased the divisions colors in preparation to deploy with about 250 other soldiers from the divisions Headquarters Battalion.

The 3rd ID soldiers will replace 1st Cavalry Division Headquarters at Bagram Airfield as the U.S. forces national support element in Afghanistan. During the deployment, which is expected to last about nine months, Quintas will serve as commander of Bagram and as deputy commanding general for support for the NATO-led Operation Resolute Support mission.

That means providing food, fuel, ammunition, life support and equipment for the entire operation in Afghanistan for the coalition, Quintas said Friday.

The primary mission will be to train, advise and assist Afghan security forces.

Hendrex, who just got back from Afghanistan and has been deployed there four other times, said he has seen the mission in the country change drastically over the last five years.

The last time I was there, there were over 110,000 U.S. soldiers on the ground; we have less than 10 percent now, Hendrex said.

Hendrex noted improvements in Afghan special forces and aerial combat capabilities.

Theyre conducting their own unilateral operations, he said.

There are currently about 8,400 U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan and about 350,000 Afghan security troops and police, senior 3rd ID staff said.

The training role is widespread, Quintas said.

The essential footprint is every Afghan corps has a train, advise and assist team with them led by a brigadier general or higher, he said.

Two of 3rd IDs deputy commanding generals will serve in direct training and advising roles with Afghan security forces. Most of the deployed soldiers will be at Bagram, but Quintas said some will be located in Qatar and Kuwait.

There is still the possibility of danger. Quintas said one of his top priorities is ensuring safety at Bagram, where there was a suicide bomb attack last year. While it is generally secure, Bagram could be targeted by infiltrators or hit by indirect fire, he said.

There is a significant element of Taliban that remain and contest the government of Afghanistan as it exists today, Quintas said. Were training (the Afghans) to fight that element. Its also important, I think, for the American people to know that there are 20-some odd terrorist groups that operate in Afghanistan. Part of what were doing is fighting the away game. Were taking the fight to them in Afghanistan so that they are suppressed and they do not have an opportunity to ever come here.

During the deployment, 3rd ID soldiers still at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield will be led by Task Force Marne, which was activated Friday. Its a busy year for the rest of the division. Among other things, its 1st Brigade Armored Combat Team is preparing for a second National Training Center Rotation and its 2nd Brigade Combat Team is in the process of transitioning into an armored brigade.

Col. Sean Bernabe, Task Force Marne commander, said his priorities echo Quintas and the Armys in general.

Priority No. 1 is readiness in all of its facets, Bernabe said. The No. 2 priority is to make sure that Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield remain the best installations in our Army, and the third is to make sure that strengthen and enhance the already great relationships we have with the communities around Fort Stewart and around Hunter Army Airfield.

Read more:
About 250 3rd ID soldiers prepare for Afghanistan - Savannah Morning News