ISAF Commander visits RC West, FOB Farah

Photo By Master Sgt. Tracy DeMarco | After refuelling at Forward Operating Base Farah, two Italian CH-47C Chinook helicopters that originated from Camp Arena, Herat, Afghanistan, takeoff to retrieve Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of the International Security Assistance Forces in Afghanistan, from Shewan, Jan. 22. In addition to FOB Farah, Gen. McChrystal visited several locations in Regional Command West to speak with ISAF leaders and representatives of the Provincial Council, including Farah Provincial Governor Rahool Amin.  

FARAH PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

01.22.2010

Story by 2nd Lt. Karl Wiest 

Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah

FARAH PROVINCE, Afghanistan — Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of all International Security Assistance Forces in Afghanistan, visited Forward Operating Base Farah, Jan. 22.

During his visit, Gen. McChrystal not only met with the FOB's leadership and ISAF service members, but also with Provincial Governor Rahool Amin in order to discuss recent kinetic and reconstruction operations across the province.

Gen. McChrystal was accompanied on his trip by the commander of Regional Command West, Italian Brig. Gen. Alessandro Veltri, among other ISAF dignitaries.

No matter whom the general was addressing during his time in Farah, he continuously spoke with one message.

"My commitment to you is everything in my power; everything I do is dedicated to making this team, at my level and your level here, the best it's ever been," he said. "We're all here for one reason - the safety and the security for the people of Afghanistan."

Following a situation report given by Task Force South Commander Col. Massimo Raccanpo, Gen. McChrystal met with Gov. Amin to hear the governor's thoughts on recent operations across the vast Western province.

"If we compare Farah to a couple of years ago, we have a lot of achievements here," said Gov. Amin. "It didn't come by force; it didn't come by raising the Army, too many bullets or fighting. The achievements came as a result of the trust among us and us working together as a team."

And the ISAF commander couldn't have agreed more.

"We are in a truly joint fight," Gen. McChrystal said. "By all of us working together and being on the same page across the board, we can bring the Afghan people the bright future they have earned."

After meeting with the governor, Gen. McChrystal met with numerous Italian and American service members assigned to FOB Farah and he encouraged them in their mission here in Afghanistan.

"You are a long way from home," Gen. McChrystal said. "You're probably a long way from anywhere you thought you'd ever be, but you're probably not a long way from what you thought you'd do in life. Because you thought you'd do something for other people and you're doing something for other people. You are doing something for the Afghan people."

• Date Taken: 01.22.2010
• Date Posted: 01.26.2010 02:49
• Story ID: 44434
• Location: FARAH PROVINCE, AF