How's That?

By month’s end, a force described as battalion-strength, consisting of mostly army soldiers, will arrive in Helmand province where US and UK forces have struggled in battles for over a decade to drive out the Taliban.

In keeping with Barack Obama’s formal declaration that the US is not engaged in combat, despite elite forces recently participating in an hours-long battle in Helmand, defense officials said the additional troops would not take part in combat. But they will help the existing Helmand force defend itself against Taliban attacks, officials said.

  Guardian

Defense isn't combat. And all males in the vicinity are enemy soldiers. You just have to define it right.

The Guardian understands the additional forces in Helmand will not increase the current total troop numbers in Afghanistan, which currently stand at 9,800, but will instead be deployed from troops already in the country. Batallion strengths vary, but can constitute a force of up to 800 troops.

[...]

In January, a US special forces soldier died and two others were wounded as they assisted the Afghan military in repelling a Taliban assault in the province that lasted hours.

While the Pentagon initially resisted categorizing the battle as “combat”, press secretary Peter Cook called it a “combat situation, but [US troops] are not in the lead intentionally.”

[...]

Outgoing commander Campbell, testifying to Congress last week, said that while current rules of engagement prevented US troops who are not engaged in counter-terrorism raids from initiating fights with the Taliban, “I have no restrictions on providing force protection” for troops that train Afghans.

"Not in the lead intentionally." "In the lead" apparently determines whether they are in combat. So, if it's defense, and they are not in the lead (intentionally), or they are merely engaged in protecting other troops, you can be assured US troops are not engaged in combat in Afghanistan. Got it? I know, it's a little confusing. Tell you what. Just wait until your government tells you our troops are in combat. It's easier for everybody that way.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.