By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 6, 2007 - The Air Force has grounded its F-15 Eagle fleet following the crash of a Missouri Air National Guard F-15C on Nov. 2. However, F-15s assigned to North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Central Command Air Forces will be on alert and fly required missions, officials said today. Although the incident is still under investigation, preliminary findings indicate a possible structural failure led to last week's crash during a training exercise near Salem, Mo.
"The Air Force is looking at its operational requirements, where they have the newer aircraft and making some of those available for missions while they take a look at the F-15 fleet to see if they have a more systemic problem throughout the fleet," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.
Air Force officials said they will ensure mission requirements are met for worldwide operations normally accomplished by the F-15. Flying locations include bases in the continental United States, Alaska, England, Hawaii, Japan and the Middle East.
"It is important to remember, in the F-15E, that not all F-15s are created equal," Whitman said. "It is a family of aircraft built over a long period of time; some earlier models have been in service a lot longer than F-15Es."
About 700 aging F-15s are in today's Air Force inventory. The fleet first reached operational capability in September 1975. The aircraft involved in last week's crash was built in 1980, officials said. While the F-15 continues to prove highly effective in ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Air Force is on a course to eventually replace the aging F-15 A, B, C and D fleet with the stealthy F-22 Raptor.
The F-15 Eagle is an all-weather, extremely maneuverable, tactical fighter designed to permit the Air Force to gain and maintain air supremacy over the battlefield, according to Air Force officials.
The F-15C, D and E models were deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1991 in support of Operation Desert Storm. F-15C fighters accounted for 34 of the 37 Air Force air-to-air victories in that conflict.
They have since been deployed for Air Expeditionary Force deployments and operations Southern Watch, the no-fly zone in southern Iraq; Provide Comfort, in Turkey; Allied Force, in Bosnia; Enduring Freedom, in Afghanistan; and Iraqi Freedom, officials said.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Gates: U.S., China to Move Ahead with Strategic Dialogue
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 6, 2007 - The United States and China will move ahead with a strategic dialogue, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said following talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao here. Gates spoke to reporters traveling with him at Beijing's Forbidden City. He said his meeting with Hu at the Great Hall of the People was cordial and constructive.
"We talked a good deal about the military-to-military relationship," Gates said. "He indicated his support for moving forward with a dialogue of strategic military matters of concern to both sides."
The meeting with the president culminated two days of intensive talks with Chinese civilian and military leaders.
He said the talks were "candid and realistic and, I think, in a friendly spirit."
The secretary said areas of "agreement and disagreement" clearly exist between the United States and China. "Talking about both is good for the relationship," he said.
Hu said the parties discussed issues of common interest. The two sides "exchanged ideas very extensively on topics like bilateral relations and on issues of common interests," Hu said through a translator.
He said Gates' visit will be "conducive to deeper trust between us and further the development of state-to-state relations."
"You will have a better understanding of China and vice versa," the president said.
The two sides agreed on a number of specific ways to improve military-to-military contacts between the two nations, Gates said.
The two sides agreed to install a direct telephone link between their respective defense establishments. This is the first time China has agreed to such a contact with any nation, a senior U.S. defense official said on background.
The two militaries are cooperating in a number of other areas, Gates said. They will exchange mid-level and senior officers, and there will be an exchange between military education institutions.
The Chinese have agreed to open their archives to help locate Americans listed as prisoners of war or missing in action before, during and after the Korean War. "So I think we took advantage of the opportunity to expand on those contacts," Gates said.
The secretary also addressed issues of concern to the United States. "In all of the meetings, I expressed our concern with the pace and scope of their strategic modernization programs and the anti-satellite test," he said.
Gates said he has high hopes for continued contacts between the United States and China. "I hope what will come out of these is an ongoing dialogue," he said.
"It's not a matter of just raising it and each side sort of having a set piece response, but rather to enter into a longer-term dialogue about perceptions of threats, about a world that faces the threat of nuclear proliferations and perhaps ways of finding some confidence building measures along the way," Gates said. "But I see this as an ongoing process rather than a one-time event."
Also during the visit, Gates raised U.S. concerns about Iran with Chinese leaders. He said an Iran that is a de-stabilizing force in the Middle East is not in anyone's interest, including China's.
"If one is interested in long-term energy security, then a stable Persian Gulf/Middle East area is very high priority," he said. "So, we had some interesting conversations about Iran."
President Hu raised the issue of Taiwan during talks, Gates said.
"I restated our positions that we're opposed to any effort by anyone unilaterally to change the status quo," the secretary said. "This is actually a diplomatic issue, but I basically reiterated that the U.S. government has been quite clear in its messages to the leaders of Taiwan not to change the status quo."
Gates was scheduled to next travel to Seoul for annual military meetings with his Korean counterpart.
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 6, 2007 - The United States and China will move ahead with a strategic dialogue, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said following talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao here. Gates spoke to reporters traveling with him at Beijing's Forbidden City. He said his meeting with Hu at the Great Hall of the People was cordial and constructive.
"We talked a good deal about the military-to-military relationship," Gates said. "He indicated his support for moving forward with a dialogue of strategic military matters of concern to both sides."
The meeting with the president culminated two days of intensive talks with Chinese civilian and military leaders.
He said the talks were "candid and realistic and, I think, in a friendly spirit."
The secretary said areas of "agreement and disagreement" clearly exist between the United States and China. "Talking about both is good for the relationship," he said.
Hu said the parties discussed issues of common interest. The two sides "exchanged ideas very extensively on topics like bilateral relations and on issues of common interests," Hu said through a translator.
He said Gates' visit will be "conducive to deeper trust between us and further the development of state-to-state relations."
"You will have a better understanding of China and vice versa," the president said.
The two sides agreed on a number of specific ways to improve military-to-military contacts between the two nations, Gates said.
The two sides agreed to install a direct telephone link between their respective defense establishments. This is the first time China has agreed to such a contact with any nation, a senior U.S. defense official said on background.
The two militaries are cooperating in a number of other areas, Gates said. They will exchange mid-level and senior officers, and there will be an exchange between military education institutions.
The Chinese have agreed to open their archives to help locate Americans listed as prisoners of war or missing in action before, during and after the Korean War. "So I think we took advantage of the opportunity to expand on those contacts," Gates said.
The secretary also addressed issues of concern to the United States. "In all of the meetings, I expressed our concern with the pace and scope of their strategic modernization programs and the anti-satellite test," he said.
Gates said he has high hopes for continued contacts between the United States and China. "I hope what will come out of these is an ongoing dialogue," he said.
"It's not a matter of just raising it and each side sort of having a set piece response, but rather to enter into a longer-term dialogue about perceptions of threats, about a world that faces the threat of nuclear proliferations and perhaps ways of finding some confidence building measures along the way," Gates said. "But I see this as an ongoing process rather than a one-time event."
Also during the visit, Gates raised U.S. concerns about Iran with Chinese leaders. He said an Iran that is a de-stabilizing force in the Middle East is not in anyone's interest, including China's.
"If one is interested in long-term energy security, then a stable Persian Gulf/Middle East area is very high priority," he said. "So, we had some interesting conversations about Iran."
President Hu raised the issue of Taiwan during talks, Gates said.
"I restated our positions that we're opposed to any effort by anyone unilaterally to change the status quo," the secretary said. "This is actually a diplomatic issue, but I basically reiterated that the U.S. government has been quite clear in its messages to the leaders of Taiwan not to change the status quo."
Gates was scheduled to next travel to Seoul for annual military meetings with his Korean counterpart.
Navy Nurse's Voice Heard at Women's Memorial's 10th Anniversary
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2007 - Navy Capt. Maggie L. Richard, a 22-year veteran in the Navy Nurse Corps, embodies the dutiful commitment enshrined at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial, which celebrated its 10-year anniversary Nov. 3. Richard was one of seven female servicemembers selected to address the audience at during the "Voices of the Women" speaker's portion of the ceremony. The Women's Memorial is at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery.
"I was so honored to represent all military and Public Health Service nurses," Richard said.
The veteran nurse was notified by the office of Navy Rear Adm. Christine Bruzek-Kohler, Navy Nurse Corps director, that she had been tapped to speak on behalf of some 20,000 nurses in the corps at the ceremony.
"I feel that (Woman in Military Service for America) gives a great venue to give voice to the accomplishments of women, specifically," Richard said. "Many of the things I do when I mentor people is remind them of what other people had to do for you to get where you are. ... That's why I think WIMSA is so important."
While attending Texas Woman's University, Richard encountered recruiters who helped steer her toward a career in the Navy Nurse Corps. "It was an opportunity for me to do something different with my life," she said. "I just felt at that moment I didn't know what lay ahead, but I knew that I could do it."
Richard's parents were surprised when she announced her decision to enlist in the program. "Do you want to run that by me one more time?" she recalled her father saying with incredulity.
"I'm the youngest in my family and was the first to really leave Dallas, Texas, where I'm from," she said. "So my dad, who's quite the character, made sure I ran it by him one more time."
As a nurse in the corps, Richards said, she had hoped to enjoy life while "giving the best that (she) could give."
"Contributing in this world is something that I've always known that I wanted to do because it was taught to me as a child," she said. "The Navy gave me the opportunity to do that."
In fact, by paying for Richard to earn her master's and Ph.D. degrees in nursing, the Navy far exceeded her expectations, she said.
One of Richard's career highlights happened in 1992 while stationed in Korea. One night, while Richard served as the lone Navy nurse on a base with roughly 5,000 servicemembers under her watch, an emergency medical situation occurred. "There was an emergency, and I had to transport a patient via helicopter; the Air Force and the Army transported me there," she recalled. "And I was just able to do things that impressed me in terms of in the pressure of the moment; we would all be surprised by what we can accomplish."
Other women servicemembers joining Richard onstage were Lorraine S. Dieterle, a former member of the Coast Guard who photographed the Victory in Japan Day celebration in New York City's Times Square and who helped establish the women's memorial, and Marsha L. Four, who served in the 18th Surgical Hospital in Vietnam as an intensive care nurse with the Army Nurse Corps.
Other "Voices of Women" speakers included Dawn Halfaker, a retired Army captain injured in Iraq; Brig. Gen. Michelle D. Johnson, Air Force director of public affairs; and Marine Lance Cpl. Sona P. Babani, a native Iraqi turned U.S. citizen.
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2007 - Navy Capt. Maggie L. Richard, a 22-year veteran in the Navy Nurse Corps, embodies the dutiful commitment enshrined at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial, which celebrated its 10-year anniversary Nov. 3. Richard was one of seven female servicemembers selected to address the audience at during the "Voices of the Women" speaker's portion of the ceremony. The Women's Memorial is at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery.
"I was so honored to represent all military and Public Health Service nurses," Richard said.
The veteran nurse was notified by the office of Navy Rear Adm. Christine Bruzek-Kohler, Navy Nurse Corps director, that she had been tapped to speak on behalf of some 20,000 nurses in the corps at the ceremony.
"I feel that (Woman in Military Service for America) gives a great venue to give voice to the accomplishments of women, specifically," Richard said. "Many of the things I do when I mentor people is remind them of what other people had to do for you to get where you are. ... That's why I think WIMSA is so important."
While attending Texas Woman's University, Richard encountered recruiters who helped steer her toward a career in the Navy Nurse Corps. "It was an opportunity for me to do something different with my life," she said. "I just felt at that moment I didn't know what lay ahead, but I knew that I could do it."
Richard's parents were surprised when she announced her decision to enlist in the program. "Do you want to run that by me one more time?" she recalled her father saying with incredulity.
"I'm the youngest in my family and was the first to really leave Dallas, Texas, where I'm from," she said. "So my dad, who's quite the character, made sure I ran it by him one more time."
As a nurse in the corps, Richards said, she had hoped to enjoy life while "giving the best that (she) could give."
"Contributing in this world is something that I've always known that I wanted to do because it was taught to me as a child," she said. "The Navy gave me the opportunity to do that."
In fact, by paying for Richard to earn her master's and Ph.D. degrees in nursing, the Navy far exceeded her expectations, she said.
One of Richard's career highlights happened in 1992 while stationed in Korea. One night, while Richard served as the lone Navy nurse on a base with roughly 5,000 servicemembers under her watch, an emergency medical situation occurred. "There was an emergency, and I had to transport a patient via helicopter; the Air Force and the Army transported me there," she recalled. "And I was just able to do things that impressed me in terms of in the pressure of the moment; we would all be surprised by what we can accomplish."
Other women servicemembers joining Richard onstage were Lorraine S. Dieterle, a former member of the Coast Guard who photographed the Victory in Japan Day celebration in New York City's Times Square and who helped establish the women's memorial, and Marsha L. Four, who served in the 18th Surgical Hospital in Vietnam as an intensive care nurse with the Army Nurse Corps.
Other "Voices of Women" speakers included Dawn Halfaker, a retired Army captain injured in Iraq; Brig. Gen. Michelle D. Johnson, Air Force director of public affairs; and Marine Lance Cpl. Sona P. Babani, a native Iraqi turned U.S. citizen.
Pacific Command Hosts Joint Civilian Orientation Conference
By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2007 - About 40 civilians with little or no previous military experience gathered in this tropical paradise today to get their marching orders for a week-long expedition that will take them across the Defense Department's largest combatant command. There was little time for umbrella-donned drinks though. Participants of the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference had to prepare for a 2 a.m. wake-up to start what promises to be a very busy itinerary. Over the next week participants will fly to a handful of countries where they will see first-hand the efforts of servicemembers in each of the five services working in the U.S. Pacific Command.
The JCOC is a defense secretary sponsored program for U.S. leaders who want to broaden their knowledge of the military and national defense. JCOC is the oldest existing Pentagon outreach program. This is the 74th JCOC since it started in 1948.
"My hope for the participants is that we have a phenomenal experience in exploring the different cultures, but also that they get an understanding of both the strategic importance of the region and its increasing importance to international security," said Anne MacDonald, JCOC director.
MacDonald said the itinerary is built around providing the group the most basic understanding of what the U.S. military is doing "day-in and day-out in the field."
Because of security concerns in some of the regions in which the group will travel, itinerary details were not disclosed to participants until today. Specific sites visited can only be reported after each visit, conference officials said.
Geographically, PACOM is the largest combatant command, covering from the U.S. West Coast as far as Mongolia and China, and from Alaska south to Antarctica. Its area of responsibility covers more than half of the earth's surface – about 105 million square miles – and includes nearly 60 percent of the world's population. About 300,000 military members from all branches comprise the command.
During the week, participants will receive briefs on each of the services' roles within the command and view related training. Then they will roll up their sleeves and participate. The group will dine with servicemembers in the field, fire military weapons, jump in the cockpit of a fighter jet simulator, rappel down walls, drive a Coast Guard boat and become part of a simulated mass-casualty exercise. Officials want the trip to be as "hands-on" as possible, they said.
Trip planning starts about five months before the conference and includes hundreds of man-hours in preparation. Servicemembers from each of the services volunteer to serve as team leaders for the groups. A handful of other volunteers help round out the efforts.
David Evans, acting director of the Defense Department's Community Relations and Public Liaison office, said this type of conference is critical to giving community leaders an accurate picture of military life.
"The reason it's so important now is we have an entire generation that was not obligated to serve time in the military. They don't have a good idea of what the military is really about except what they see on T.V. So it is critical that we take these leaders out there to see what our military is doing day to day in forward deployed locations," Evans said.
Participants are nominated for the conference by senior military officials or alumni of the program and selected because of their influence. A conference fee paid by the participants covers their costs. This year's group includes doctors, government officials, businessmen and women and educators.
"What we're looking for is a good mix of business leaders, educators, centers of influence in metro areas -- places where there may not be a military installation and we think this might be something that will be worthwhile for them to experience," Evans said.
This is Coast Guard Lt. Sara Wallace's third JCOC to serve as a team leader. She has witnessed the enlightenment that happens as members of the group meet and talk with servicemembers and are able to see what they do in the field, Wallace said.
"By the end of the week the biggest change you see in the participants is just the awe, the wonderment. They can't say enough about the amount that each of the branches of service does. The amount of education they walk away with almost dumbfounds them," she said. And it's not the high-tech equipment that makes the biggest impression either, Wallace said.
"Usually it's just the (servicemembers) themselves. Every time someone goes on this trip they usually walk away impressed with the amount of responsibility that these young men and women are charged with and how much they have to handle," Wallace said.
The trip finishes back here Nov. 11 with a Veterans Day ceremony at the historic National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also known as the Punchbowl. More than 44,000 U.S. war veterans and family members are buried in the 112-acre cemetery.
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2007 - About 40 civilians with little or no previous military experience gathered in this tropical paradise today to get their marching orders for a week-long expedition that will take them across the Defense Department's largest combatant command. There was little time for umbrella-donned drinks though. Participants of the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference had to prepare for a 2 a.m. wake-up to start what promises to be a very busy itinerary. Over the next week participants will fly to a handful of countries where they will see first-hand the efforts of servicemembers in each of the five services working in the U.S. Pacific Command.
The JCOC is a defense secretary sponsored program for U.S. leaders who want to broaden their knowledge of the military and national defense. JCOC is the oldest existing Pentagon outreach program. This is the 74th JCOC since it started in 1948.
"My hope for the participants is that we have a phenomenal experience in exploring the different cultures, but also that they get an understanding of both the strategic importance of the region and its increasing importance to international security," said Anne MacDonald, JCOC director.
MacDonald said the itinerary is built around providing the group the most basic understanding of what the U.S. military is doing "day-in and day-out in the field."
Because of security concerns in some of the regions in which the group will travel, itinerary details were not disclosed to participants until today. Specific sites visited can only be reported after each visit, conference officials said.
Geographically, PACOM is the largest combatant command, covering from the U.S. West Coast as far as Mongolia and China, and from Alaska south to Antarctica. Its area of responsibility covers more than half of the earth's surface – about 105 million square miles – and includes nearly 60 percent of the world's population. About 300,000 military members from all branches comprise the command.
During the week, participants will receive briefs on each of the services' roles within the command and view related training. Then they will roll up their sleeves and participate. The group will dine with servicemembers in the field, fire military weapons, jump in the cockpit of a fighter jet simulator, rappel down walls, drive a Coast Guard boat and become part of a simulated mass-casualty exercise. Officials want the trip to be as "hands-on" as possible, they said.
Trip planning starts about five months before the conference and includes hundreds of man-hours in preparation. Servicemembers from each of the services volunteer to serve as team leaders for the groups. A handful of other volunteers help round out the efforts.
David Evans, acting director of the Defense Department's Community Relations and Public Liaison office, said this type of conference is critical to giving community leaders an accurate picture of military life.
"The reason it's so important now is we have an entire generation that was not obligated to serve time in the military. They don't have a good idea of what the military is really about except what they see on T.V. So it is critical that we take these leaders out there to see what our military is doing day to day in forward deployed locations," Evans said.
Participants are nominated for the conference by senior military officials or alumni of the program and selected because of their influence. A conference fee paid by the participants covers their costs. This year's group includes doctors, government officials, businessmen and women and educators.
"What we're looking for is a good mix of business leaders, educators, centers of influence in metro areas -- places where there may not be a military installation and we think this might be something that will be worthwhile for them to experience," Evans said.
This is Coast Guard Lt. Sara Wallace's third JCOC to serve as a team leader. She has witnessed the enlightenment that happens as members of the group meet and talk with servicemembers and are able to see what they do in the field, Wallace said.
"By the end of the week the biggest change you see in the participants is just the awe, the wonderment. They can't say enough about the amount that each of the branches of service does. The amount of education they walk away with almost dumbfounds them," she said. And it's not the high-tech equipment that makes the biggest impression either, Wallace said.
"Usually it's just the (servicemembers) themselves. Every time someone goes on this trip they usually walk away impressed with the amount of responsibility that these young men and women are charged with and how much they have to handle," Wallace said.
The trip finishes back here Nov. 11 with a Veterans Day ceremony at the historic National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also known as the Punchbowl. More than 44,000 U.S. war veterans and family members are buried in the 112-acre cemetery.
CENTCOM Commander Attends Khost Leadership Conference
American Forces Press Service
Nov. 5, 2007 - Khost Provincial Governor Arsala Jamal and all 12 of his district sub-governors hosted the first Khost Provincial Leadership Conference here Nov. 3. Also in attendance were Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, commander of U.S Central Command, key leaders of the Afghan national security forces, and leaders from 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
Khost province is recognized by Afghan President Hamid Karzai and coalition commanders as the "provincial model of success." Khost has accomplished more in the past 10 months than in the previous five years, and that is due to the trust and collaborative efforts of all people living in Khost -- Afghans and coalition forces alike, officials said.
Jamal is leading and training his sub-governors and military leaders at the provincial and district levels to work directly with the people of Khost and in concert with the coalition units who train and live with their Afghan counterparts in all district centers in Khost. This arrangement has made it possible to remove the shackles of the Taliban and criminals and allow development, education, and security to flourish once again in Khost, officials said.
Army Lt. Col. Scott Custer, who commands the International Security Assistance Force unit in Khost, said Jamal wanted to meet with all the key players to help shape and develop the future of Khost. "This is a monumental day for Khost. The purpose of today's meeting is to build upon the strong relations among the central government of Khost province," Custer said. "Providing a forum for the sub-governors to discuss security matters with Governor Jamal and to create the provincial development and security plan for Khost over the next 12 to 24 months ensures continued growth throughout the province.
"Additionally, it provides the sub-governors the opportunity to share their methods of success with their peers and request any additional resources they may need from the governor to reach their goals. The responsibility is on their shoulders to take Khost into the next two years; the leaders and the people of Khost have ownership of their future."
Fallon praised Khost provincial and Afghan security forces leaders for their collaborative efforts and commitment toward building a safer province. He encouraged all Afghans to follow this example. "I've come here to see Khost for the first time," said Fallon, who visits Afghanistan frequently. "I see the security situation as very good. I am very happy with the (development) progress that I see. I am very, very pleased to be in the company of the governor."
When asked why Khost was important to him, Fallon replied, "Khost ... is a great example of good leadership with the governor (and) the sub-governors working closely with the ISAF units to provide security and stability for the people of this area, this province."
The CENTCOM commander added that Khost is the model that all other provinces should aspire to. "I want to encourage the governor and other leaders in the region to continue with the good work because I believe that this is a wonderful example to the whole country of Afghanistan," Fallon said.
Several government and security force leaders said the admiral's visit shows the strategic importance of Khost to the overall security of Afghanistan.
(From a Combined Joint Task Force 82 news release.)
Nov. 5, 2007 - Khost Provincial Governor Arsala Jamal and all 12 of his district sub-governors hosted the first Khost Provincial Leadership Conference here Nov. 3. Also in attendance were Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, commander of U.S Central Command, key leaders of the Afghan national security forces, and leaders from 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
Khost province is recognized by Afghan President Hamid Karzai and coalition commanders as the "provincial model of success." Khost has accomplished more in the past 10 months than in the previous five years, and that is due to the trust and collaborative efforts of all people living in Khost -- Afghans and coalition forces alike, officials said.
Jamal is leading and training his sub-governors and military leaders at the provincial and district levels to work directly with the people of Khost and in concert with the coalition units who train and live with their Afghan counterparts in all district centers in Khost. This arrangement has made it possible to remove the shackles of the Taliban and criminals and allow development, education, and security to flourish once again in Khost, officials said.
Army Lt. Col. Scott Custer, who commands the International Security Assistance Force unit in Khost, said Jamal wanted to meet with all the key players to help shape and develop the future of Khost. "This is a monumental day for Khost. The purpose of today's meeting is to build upon the strong relations among the central government of Khost province," Custer said. "Providing a forum for the sub-governors to discuss security matters with Governor Jamal and to create the provincial development and security plan for Khost over the next 12 to 24 months ensures continued growth throughout the province.
"Additionally, it provides the sub-governors the opportunity to share their methods of success with their peers and request any additional resources they may need from the governor to reach their goals. The responsibility is on their shoulders to take Khost into the next two years; the leaders and the people of Khost have ownership of their future."
Fallon praised Khost provincial and Afghan security forces leaders for their collaborative efforts and commitment toward building a safer province. He encouraged all Afghans to follow this example. "I've come here to see Khost for the first time," said Fallon, who visits Afghanistan frequently. "I see the security situation as very good. I am very happy with the (development) progress that I see. I am very, very pleased to be in the company of the governor."
When asked why Khost was important to him, Fallon replied, "Khost ... is a great example of good leadership with the governor (and) the sub-governors working closely with the ISAF units to provide security and stability for the people of this area, this province."
The CENTCOM commander added that Khost is the model that all other provinces should aspire to. "I want to encourage the governor and other leaders in the region to continue with the good work because I believe that this is a wonderful example to the whole country of Afghanistan," Fallon said.
Several government and security force leaders said the admiral's visit shows the strategic importance of Khost to the overall security of Afghanistan.
(From a Combined Joint Task Force 82 news release.)
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