Fort Carson's 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division, a unit of about 3,800 soldiers, will ship out to Iraq in September.

Pentagon officials issued the orders Monday, formalizing a decision that's been expected for months.

Members of the unit recently wrapped up pre-Iraq training in California's Mojave Desert. When the unit, one of two based at Fort Carson that include M-1 tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles, is deployed to Iraq it would increase the number of Fort Carson troops there to more than 10,000.

Hundreds of the unit's soldiers will begin their third tour in Iraq.