Two former commanders from North Carolina's Fort Bragg have been named by the defense secretary to take over leadership of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday that Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal and Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez would be the top two American generals in Afghanistan.

McChrystal will replace Gen. David McKiernan as the top U.S. military officer in Afghanistan. Rodriguez will be McChrystal's deputy.

President Obama has ordered 17,000 additional troops into Afghanistan to supplement the 38,000 Americans troops already there. Gates said he wanted a fresh leadership team in the country.

The Fayetteville Observer reported Tuesday that McChrystal, now director of the joint staff at the Pentagon, is a former commander of the Joint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg. He also commanded a special operations task force in Afghanistan and began his career as a platoon leader in the 82nd and was assistant commander of the division.

Rodriguez was 82nd Airborne Division commander for two years and spent 15 months of that time commanding troops in Afghanistan. Rodriguez became Gates' senior military assistant after his command of the 82nd ended.

The 82nd is sending a brigade of about 3,300 paratroopers to Afghanistan this year along with its headquarters and division commander Maj. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti.

Marines from Camp Lejeune also are being sent to Afghanistan.