Representative Driehaus Visits Troops In Iraq And Afghanistan

Press Release

Representative Driehaus Visits Troops In Iraq And Afghanistan

Representative Steve Driehaus today returned from a five-day, three-country fact-finding mission. During his tour, Rep. Driehaus met with troops from Ohio currently deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and was briefed by commanders in Baghdad and Kabul. Rep. Driehaus traveled with a bipartisan group of members of the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee to examine how American funding is being allocated and accounted for in the execution of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"It was an honor and privilege to meet the brave troops who have made the commitment to serve our country in uniform. Our servicemembers and their commanders lay their lives on the line every day to help protect us and our freedoms. These heroes and their families make tremendous sacrifices in defense of our nation, and we owe them our deep gratitude and support," said Rep. Driehaus.

Representative Driehaus visited with soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen from Ohio who are currently deployed to Baghdad, Iraq and Kabul, Afghanistan,

Additionally, Representative Driehaus was briefed in Baghdad by General Raymond T. Odierno, Commanding General, Multi-National Force—Iraq; Lieutenant General Lloyd Austin, Commander, Multi-National Corps—Iraq; and Lieutenant General Frank Helmick, Commander, Multi-National Security Transition Command—Iraq.

In Kabul, Afghanistan, Representative Driehaus was briefed by General David D. McKiernan, Commander, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan; and Major General Arnold Fields (USMC, Ret.), Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

This fact-finding mission followed the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report finding that the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command (USASAC) and the Combined Security Transition Command—Afghanistan (CSTC-A) did not maintain complete records for about 87,000, or 36 percent, of 242,000 U.S.-procured weapons shipped to Afghanistan.

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