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More ‘combat enablers’ Afghan-bound
About 3,000 additional troops are headed to Afghanistan — but not as part of any new request from the top U.S. commander there, a senior defense official said Monday.

The troops are what the military calls “combat enablers” — noncombat troops who specialize in areas such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; explosives ordnance disposal; medical and mental health; and personnel administration. They will deploy in team-sized elements as opposed to larger units, according to the official, who asked not to be identified.

About 1,000 such troops also will deploy to Iraq, the official said, adding that both groups are being sent in response to existing requests by the theater commanders in Afghanistan and Iraq....

...The fresh enablers would bring the U.S. total in Afghanistan to slightly more than 68,000, the total authorized by Obama to date. Troop strength by year’s end will be slightly more than double the total in country at the end of 2008....