The Pentagon announced on Monday that more troops will be sent to Iraq. The number surpasses 40,000 troops, including 25,000 active duty Army soldiers. They will head to Iraq at the beginning of this fall to replace the troops that are heading home at the end of the year, reported The Associated Press.

The troops will deploy for only 12 months instead of 15 months because of the new Pentagon policy. The soldiers who have to go this fall returned from Iraq last year, which means they managed to rest just one year. Nearly 15 brigades are expected to be on the warfront at the end of July, once these planned withdrawals finish.

The announcements of the Pentagon included alerts for National Guard Army brigades to begin their preparation for deployments to Iraq in the fallowing spring and for one National Guard Army brigade which is supposed to leave to Afghanistan in the spring of 2010.

According to The Associated Press, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said that these announcements were made this early so that soldiers and their families have time for training and other preparations.

The Guard brigades that will head to Iraq will provide security and that one National Guard Army brigade that leaves in 2010 will have to train Afghan national forces.

National Guard units that are being sent to Afghanistan include about 14,000 soldiers from Texas, Pennsylvania, Louisiana and Tennessee, reported the Baltimore Sun.

At the time there are 155,000 troops, including 17 combat brigades, in Iraq.