Around 350 Scots soldiers are preparing to leave for Afghanistan for a six-month tour.
Troops from the Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (2 Scots), will be tasked with training Afghan police as the UK and other nations plan to scale back their military presence there.
The Penicuik-based battalion will advise police chiefs in Nad-e-Ali, Nahr-e-Saraj and Lashkah Gar and help train new officers, said the Ministry of Defence.
They are being deployed as part of Task Force Helmand led by the British Army's 1 Mechanised Brigade.
Commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Robin Lindsay said: "I am clear that we have a pivotal role at this point in the campaign. Assisting and advising the Afghan police in their role of providing security for the Afghan people is a very valuable and worthwhile task.
"2 Scots will be building on the good work of our predecessors and our focus is now on ensuring that the institutions of the Afghan police are further strengthened through effective training."
Prime Minister David Cameron announced in December that the number of UK troops in Afghanistan will be almost halved over this year to 5,200. Numbers could be cut further if better-than-expected progress is made in readying domestic security services to take control.
The Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) are looking to assume full security responsibility throughout the country by the end of 2014.
Major Jock McGown, who commands the Lashkah Gar Training Centre, said: "The task ahead of us is vital and exhilarating. We are building on a solid foundation laid by 4 Brigade ensuring that we give institutional depth to police training in Helmand.
"From what I have seen things are well advanced. My team and I are looking forwards to help move things on even further."
