U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter,

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter, left, and U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James C. McConville, the commanding general for 101st Airborne Division, Combined Joint Task Force 101, and Regional Command East, greet Afghan National Army officers of 203rd Corps at Forward Operating Base Thunder, Paktya province, Afghanistan, Sept. 15, 2013. U.S. military leaders visited the base to assess the ongoing needs of Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Taking the lead on the majority of operations in Afghanistan, ANSF have made significant progress in a very short time. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Mark VanGerpen/Released)