March 29, 2010 – On Monday in Afghanistan, President Barack Obama made a surprise visit to Bagram Air Base to visit with U.S. civilian and military men and women supporting the U.S. government’s efforts in that country. Among those in attendance were staff members from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, including employees of the U.S. Department of Agriculture working as part of the U.S. government team.

President Barack Obama greets U.S. troops at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, March 28, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Some, like USDA employee Jaime Adams (right, blue scarf), shook President Obama’s hand at the event.

At Bagram, President Obama said, “So I want you to know, I want every American serving in Afghanistan, military and civilian, to know, whether you’re working the flight line here at Bagram or patrolling a village down in Helmand, whether you’re standing watch at a forward operating base or training our Afghan partners or working with the Afghan government, your services are absolutely necessary, absolutely essential to America’s safety and security. Those folks back home are relying on you.”

Read President Obama’s full remarks to military and civilian personnel in Afghanistan, here, and learn more about USDA’s activities in Afghanistan, here.