Congressional delegation visits TAAC-E, meets with troops in eastern Afghanistan

By Capt. Jarrod MorrisDecember 2, 2014

Congressional delegation visits TAAC-E, meets with troops in eastern Afghanistan
1 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Col. Cameron Cantlon (right), 3rd Cavalry Regiment Commander and Train, Advise, Assist Command - East Deputy Commanding Officer, greets Rep. Bill Flores (center), R-Texas, upon arrival to Tactical Base Gamberi Nov. 22, 2014. Flores was one ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Congressional delegation visits TAAC-E, meets with troops in eastern Afghanistan
2 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Rep. Rob Wittman (right), R-Va. and chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, shares a meal and discusses service-related topics with Train, Advise, Assist Command - East soldiers at Tactical Base Gamberi Nov. 22, 2014. Wittman visited TB Gambe... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Congressional delegation visits TAAC-E, meets with troops
3 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Rep. Mike Coffman (center), R-Colo., shares a meal with Train, Advise, Assist Command - East soldiers and discusses service-related topics in the dining facility at Tactical Base Gamberi Nov. 22, 2014. Coffman visited TB Gamberi with a six-member del... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Congressional delegation visits TAAC-E, meets with troops in eastern Afghanistan
4 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Rep. Dave Loebsack (center), D-Iowa, shares a meal with Train, Advise, Assist Command - East soldiers and discusses service-related topics in the dining facility at Tactical Base Gamberi Nov. 22, 2014. Loebsack visited TB Gamberi with a six-member de... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Congressional delegation visits TAAC-E, meets with troops in eastern Afghanistan
5 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Train, Advise, Assist Command - East commander U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Christopher Bentley (right) discusses the progress in eastern Afghanistan with Rep. Rob Wittman (left), R-Va. and chairman of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, and five other ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Congressional delegation visits TAAC-E, meets with troops in eastern Afghanistan
6 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – From left to right, Train, Advise, Assist Command - East command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. Roger Heinze, TAAC-E deputy commanding officer Col. Cameron Cantlon, Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., TAAC-E Commander Brig. Gen. Christopher Bentley, Rep. Mad... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

LAGHMAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - A congressional delegation including six representatives from the U.S. House Armed Services Committee visited Train, Advise, Assist Command - East at Tactical Base Gamberi Nov. 22, 2014.

Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., HASC Chairman, Rep. Madeliene Bordallo, D-Guam, Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., Rep. Reid Ribble, R-Wis., Rep. Bill Flores, R-Texas, and Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa visited TAAC-E to talk with military leaders about the progress in eastern Afghanistan, and spend time with the troops.

The delegation arrived to TB Gamberi shortly after 1 p.m. and proceeded to have lunch with TAAC-E soldiers in the dining facility.

Each member of the delegation sat at a table full of soldiers, many of them from the representatives' home states.

The troops and representatives shared a meal and discussed a variety of topics, from the war in Afghanistan to social and economic issues back home.

Wittman, when talking to the soldiers at his table, discussed the need for a better transfer of vocational skills and certifications between between military and civilian occupations, to assist veterans seeking new careers when they complete their military service.

After lunch the representatives met with TAAC-E senior leaders and staff for a roundtable discussion.

TAAC-E commander U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Christopher Bentley and key members of the staff provided the delegation with an update on the progress in eastern Afghanistan. They also discussed the transition to functionally-based security force assistance under NATO's Resolute Support mission in 2015, along with a few other key topics.

Then the forum opened for questions between TAAC-E staff and the delegation. Members of the delegation heard the soldiers' perspectives on a variety of service-related topics, and the TAAC-E staff gained important insight into political issues affecting the military.

The one-day visit concluded with a photo-op and delegation members thanked the soldiers once more for their service prior to departure.