Photo By Ben Santos | U.S. Secretary of Defense, Ashton B. Carter, receives the Order of the Combat Spur...... read more read more
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By Ben Santos
U.S. Forces Afghanistan, public affairs
BAGRAM Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 9, 2016 – The United States Secretary of Defense made a stop here to recognize and thank service members for their service.
The Hon. Ashton B. Carter, the 25th secretary of defense, recognized a handful of service members in the morning before continuing to Kabul for other meetings.
One of those meeting the Secretary in the morning was GySgt. Robert L. Gallup, Jr., United States Marine Corps.
“It was an honor to meet the Secretary of Defense. I appreciate his support of the Marines currently conducting operations in the Bagram AOR and I'm glad that he would take the time to visit us for the holidays," said Gallup, a 15-year veteran.
Carter returned to Bagram Airfield in the afternoon where he stated he had two main reasons for visiting Afghanistan. First was to thank the Resolute Support Commander, NATO, and Afghan partners for ensuring a bright future for the Afghan people and protecting Americans from attacks from originating here. Second, was to “thank the wonderful men and women who performed so well here in Afghanistan.”
He then met with service members in a hangar on the flight line and visited Craig Joint Theater Hospital to thank those who provide critical medical care to U.S. and Coalition partners deployed to Afghanistan.
Carter stopped at the location where the suicide bomber killed five service members and wounded 15 others. He knelt down and placed a SECDEF challenge coin on the spot where Sgt. First Class Allen E. Brown had fallen. Brown died Tuesday at Walter Reed National Medical Center from wounds sustained in the attack.
The secretary of defense ended his trip at the “Corral” to say one final goodbye to the service members deployed to Afghanistan where he was inducted into the Order of the Combat Spur for his leadership and support to service members.
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| Date Taken: | 12.09.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 12.11.2016 05:39 |
| Story ID: | 217173 |
| Location: | AF |
| Web Views: | 119 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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