VILSECK, Germany -- The Department of Defense announced Tuesday that the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment is scheduled to deploy as part of upcoming rotations of forces operating in Afghanistan. Approximately five thousand personnel with 2nd SCR will deploy in the spring/summer rotation to further improve security and stability operations in a full spectrum environment in the southern region of Afghanistan. As part of their ongoing preparation for future missions, the unit has been training in Romania and Bulgaria this summer as part of U.S. Army Europe's Task Force East rotation. The rotation significantly increases the level of cooperation between strong allies through training activities and exercises to develop U.S. and allied military capabilities and interoperability. Task Force East uses a gate training strategy that focuses on the traditional squad level training and culminates with company troop/battery level events. This multi-echelon training allows Dragoon Troopers the chance to operate in austere conditions that are different from the Bavarian countryside and prepare for the upcoming deploymen