Scott Brown: I'll Serve in Afghanistan This Year

Scott Brown may be a Massachusetts senator, but he's also a lieutenant colonel in the state's Army National Guard—and as part of his duties, he will serve in Afghanistan, CNN reports. "I have service obligations that I fulfill each year. Following in the tradition of other lawmakers who have completed their military service requirements overseas, this year I have requested to conduct my annual training in Afghanistan," he said in a statement today.

Brown will leave for Afghanistan before the calendar year ends, his office says, though there's no word on how long his training will last. The senator, who has served in the National Guard for 30 years, notes that training in Afghanistan "will help me to better understand our ongoing mission in that country, and provide me first-hand experience for my duties." (More Afghanistan stories.)