GRAFENWÖHR, Germany — Two brigade-sized Army units based in Europe will deploy to Afghanistan in the coming months, the Department of Defense announced Thursday.

A press release formally named the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, based in Vicenza, Italy, and the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, based in Katterbach, Germany, as part of the upcoming spring 2012 deployment rotation.

Their pending deployments were well known; the 173rd recently began a brigade-wide deployment exercise in Hohenfels, Germany. The 12th CAB had already set a date to case unit colors.

The 173rd comprises more than 3,600 personnel, according to the press release. More than 2,400 personnel will support the 12th CAB, the release states.

From staff reports