"Shifting our advisers to the tactical level is obviously going to put more US service members in harm’s way," Andrews said Monday confirming accuracy of the report. "Any time you are in an operational environment, unfortunately, more US service, coalition members will come under attack."
On Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported that 14 US service members were killed in action and 127 wounded in Afghanistan over 12 months, which amounts to a 35 percent increase in US military casualties.
Andrews said 14,000 US troops are now operating in Afghanistan.
The move to place military advisers at the tactical level is one element of the Pentagon's effort to support the Trump administration's South Asia Strategy.