| Welcome To The Official Website For The USS RICHARD B. RUSSELL (SSN-687) |
| ADMIRAL EDMUND P. GIAMBASTIANI, JR., Page 3 |
| Commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command North Atlantic Treaty Organization Supreme Allied Commander Transformation |
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| Reproduced from the original article located at: |
U.S. Joint Forces Command's top leader recently visited with U.S. and coalition forces across Afghanistan and
received updates on the continued progress of several issues.
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By Combined Forces Command - Afghanistan Public Affairs
(KABUL, Afghanistan, May 9, 2005) -- The commander of the U.S. Joint Forces Command and President Bush's
nominee to be the next vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff arrived in Afghanistan May 8 to visit with troops
and tour U.S. and coalition compounds.
Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr. said he was impressed with the improvements in the country. "There's been
tremendous progress here. Every time I come back to Afghanistan, the place is much improved and continues to
make super progress," he said.
The admiral has been nominated to succeed Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace as vice chairman. Pace has been
nominated to succeed Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers as Joint Chiefs chairman. Both nominations are subject to
Senate approval.
Giambastiani contrasted his first visit to Afghanistan with his most recent, exactly three years later, both of which
involved Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
"The last time I was here was on Dec. 7, 2004, for President Karzai's inauguration," he said. "The first time I came
here was on Dec. 7, 2001, when I met with a guy named Hamid Karzai in a bombed-out hangar in Bagram."
Army Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry, commander of Combined Forces Command Afghanistan, started Giambastiani's visit
with an overview of the command in his headquarters at Camp Eggers. After a short ride to Camp Phoenix on the
outskirts of Kabul, Giambastiani met with Air Force Maj. Gen. John Brennan, chief of the Office of Military
Cooperation Afghanistan. Brennan talked about the role of OMC-A in the reconstruction of Afghanistan's defense
and security sectors.
Next, Giambastiani received an update from Army Brig. Gen. Richard Moorhead, commander of Coalition Joint Task
Force Phoenix. The task force is responsible for the training of the Afghan National Army.
Giambastiani toured the Kabul Military Training Center and observed ANA soldiers in basic training. The tour then
proceeded to the ANA compound at Pol-e Charkhi and the adjacent U.S. compound at Camp Blackhorse.
The admiral ate dinner with the troops at the Camp Blackhorse dining facility and presented commemorative coins to
a few individuals before heading for the next stop on his visit, the International Security Assistance Force
headquarters in Kabul.
In addition to currently serving as the commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command, the admiral is NATO's supreme
allied commander for transformation.
