Washington, D.C. – During his visit to the African nation of Djibouti, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) visited troops from Wisconsin stationed there.  The U.S. Military’s Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) is located in Djibouti, which along with Germany and Tanzania, are the three countries Feingold is visiting during his trip.  Feingold met with nine service members from Wisconsin and thanked them for their service to our country, particularly as they spend the holidays so far from home.  Senator Feingold’s conversation with the troops covered a wide range of topics, including U.S. foreign policy, Wisconsin issues like state taxes and invasive species, and issues facing service members like reenlistment bonuses and military commendations. 

“It’s always an honor to meet with brave Wisconsinites serving abroad,” Feingold said.  “While it’s very difficult to be away from loved ones during the holiday season, these folks were upbeat and happy to be serving their country.  Like those I met with in Germany last week, the service members I met in Djibouti are continuing to make Wisconsin proud.”   

Senator Feingold is currently in Tanzania where he is meeting with Ambassador Mark Green, former member of the House of Representatives from Wisconsin.  Feingold and Green discussed U.S.-Tanzania relations and visited the Mtwara region, where they saw a health clinic treating malaria patients and pregnant women as well as Tanzania's third largest port, which will be connected to U.S.-funded roads.  Tanzania is the final leg of Feingold’s three country trip, which focused on security in Somalia, the Horn of Africa and East Africa, and on the U.S. military's Africa Command.  While in Germany last week, Feingold met and had lunch with Wisconsin service members who work at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center caring for injured troops, and one Wisconsin service member who was injured serving in Iraq