Order Code RS22633
March 27, 2007
U.S. Forces in Afghanistan
JoAnne O’Bryant and Michael Waterhouse
Information Research Specialists
Knowledge Services Group
Summary
As interest in troop level deployments continue, recently, President Bush
announced in a February 15, 2007 speech, the administration’s plans for an increase in
U.S. forces in Afghanistan, including a planned gradual increase of 3,200 U.S. troops
on the ground in the coming several months. The total troop deployment in this region
is expected to reach 70,000 by 2008. Varying media estimates of military forces in
Afghanistan have raised concerns about the actual number of U.S. troops currently
deployed in the NATO and U.S. missions under Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in
that country. This report provides official Department of Defense (DOD) statistical
information on U.S. forces now serving in Afghanistan with comparisons to earlier force
levels. It also provides brief official information on the military units extended or
scheduled for the next rotation of duty into Afghanistan. As of March 1, 2007,
according to DOD, the United States had 24,845 troops stationed in Afghanistan —
21,581 active component and 3,264 National Guard or Reserves. For security reasons,
DOD does not routinely report the composition, size, or specific destination of military
forces deployed to the Persian Gulf. This report will be updated upon receipt of new
DOD data. For additional information on U.S. forces, see CRS Report RL33503, U.S.
and Coalition Military Operations in Afghanistan: Issues for Congress, by Andrew
Feickert.
Force Levels
As of March 1, 2007, according to Department of Defense (DOD), the United States
had 24,845 military personnel deployed in Afghanistan. Of these, 21,581 were active
component personnel and 3,264 were National Guard and Reserves. Figures 1 and 2
provide the distribution by armed service of active component personnel. These totals do
not include 12,000 military support personnel in Kuwait, nor naval personnel aboard ships
patrolling through the Persian Gulf.1
1 DOD Fact Sheet, Global Commitments, Jan. 9, 2007.

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CRS-2
Amid concerns about U.S. troop levels in Iraq, in a February 15, 2007 speech,
President Bush announced an extension of deployment for more than 3,200 U.S. troops
in Afghanistan over the next several months as part of a new initiative in ongoing efforts
to stabilize the security situation and to confront a resurgent Taliban. The total troop
deployment in this region is expected to reach 70,000 by 2008. These forces are to be
added to the personnel stationed in Afghanistan as reported by DOD on March 1, 2007.
Additional deployment information is available from DOD’s Directorate for Information
Operations, which posts quarterly reports on casualties and worldwide active duty military
personnel deployments by region and country.
[http://siadapp.dior.whs.mil/personnel/MILITARY/Miltop.htm]
Figure 1. Active Component Personnel in Afghanistan
(as of March 1, 2007)
17,284
18,000
16,000
14,000
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
3,088
4,000
784
425
2,000
0
Army
Air Force
Navy
Marine
Corps
Source: Department of Defense, Office of Joints Chiefs of Staff, “Boots on Ground” data.
Figure 2. Reserve Component Personnel in Afghanistan
(as of March 1, 2007)
Army NG
3,090
596
Air NG
518
Army Rv
241
Air Rv
50
Navy Rv
4
Marines Rv
-
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
Source: Department of Defense, Office of Joints Chiefs of Staff, “Boots on Ground” data.

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CRS-3
Comparative Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) U.S. Force Levels.
Overall U.S. force levels in Afghanistan have been increasing since 2006, in both active
duty and the reserve component. Based on DOD statistics, Figures 3, 4, and 5 provide
comparative data on both active and reserve component force levels. DOD officials have
declined to project the timing or size of future force reductions, noting these will depend
upon the security situation within Iraq.
Figure 3. Comparative OEF Active Component Force Levels
(Feb 2006/Mar 2007)
17,284
18,000
Feb-06
Mar-07
16,000
14,000
11,398
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
2,356 3,088
4,000
1,171
2,000
316
784
425
0
Army
Navy
AF
MC
Source: Department of Defense, Office of Joints Chiefs of Staff, “Boots on Ground” data.
Figure 4. Comparative OEF Reserve Component Force Levels
(Feb 2006/Mar 2007)
3,391
3,500
Feb-06
Mar-07
3,000
2,500
1,855
2,000
1,278
1,500
1,000
518
596
261
500
241
110
12
50
4
4
0
Army NG
Air NG
Army Rv
AF Rv
Navy Rv
Marine Rv
Source: Department of Defense, Office of Joints Chiefs of Staff, “Boots on Ground” data.

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CRS-4
Figure 5. Comparative U.S. Force Levels in Afghanistan
(Feb 2006-Dec 2006)
25,000
22,990
20,502
20,299
21,733
20,764
19,090
20,000
15,000
9,296
10,000
5,000
0
Feb
May
Jun
Aug
Oct
Nov
Dec
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
Source: Department of Defense, Office of Joints Chiefs of Staff, “Boots on Ground” data, November 1, 2005 through
January 1, 2007.
Figure 6. Comparative U.S. Force Levels in
Afghanistan (Years 2006 and 2007)
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
20,297
24,845
0
Feb 2006
Mar 2007
Source: Department of Defense, Office of Joints Chiefs of Staff, “Boots on Ground” data.
Operation Enduring Freedom Troop Rotations. On January 25 and February
14, 2007, DOD announced its latest scheduled troop deployment adjustments and
schedule for rotations to Afghanistan in conjunction with OEF. The initial 2007schedule
for the affected Army units is summarized in Table 1 below. Rotations for Army units

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CRS-5
normally last for one year; however, there is currently a 120 day deployment extension
for one unit as listed in the table below.
Table 1. Operation Enduring Freedom Rotational Units
Military Unit
Home Military Base
2007 Transitions
Army
4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd
Fort Bragg, North
March, 2007 to
Airborne Division
Carolina
Afghanistan
3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division
Fort Drum, New York
120-day extension of
deployment in
Afghanistan
173rd Airborne Brigade
Vicenza, Italy
Spring, 2007 to
Afghanistan

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