CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / CAMP PENDLETON

An infantry battalion from Camp Pendleton and an artillery battalion from Twentynine Palms are among the Marine units assigned to the buildup of forces in Afghanistan, the Marine Corps announced Monday.

Also among the units deployed as part of the 8,000-troop 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade are an engineer battalion and helicopter squadron from Camp Pendleton.

All of the units -- the 1st battalion, 5th regiment from Camp Pendleton, 3rd battalion, 11th regiment from Twentynine Palms, and the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion and Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169 from Camp Pendleton -- have previously been in Iraq. All will leave for Afghanistan in coming weeks.

Most of the brigade’s troops are from Camp Lejeune, N.C., where the brigade has its headquarters.

--

-- Tony Perry