Statement by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter on Change of Command in A

I want to thank Gen. John Campbell for his extraordinary leadership and dedication in his dual role as commander of United States Forces – Afghanistan, and as commander of the NATO Resolute Support mission. While many challenges remain, we have made gains over the past year that will put Afghanistan on a better path, and much of the credit for that progress rests with Gen. Campbell.
Under Gen. Campbell’s leadership, our forces have engaged in two important and enduring missions: our train, advise and assist support to the Afghan security forces, and our counter-terrorism effort. Gen. Campbell has taken the fight to Al Qaeda and made clear our resolve to deny it safe haven. He has consistently identified ways to increase the capability and capacity of the Afghan military, a force that has shown the motivation and resiliency required to ensure the long term success of our partnership and the security and stability the Afghan people deserve. Gen. Campbell has presided over important milestones in our mission to enable the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), including the recent delivery of A-29s to the Afghan military to provide close air support, which will be a key element in increasing superiority against Taliban forces. He has also forged strong partnerships with the Afghan unity government led by President Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah, and it is clear that we have strong partners with a common vision focused on a secure and prosperous future for the Afghan people.