U.S. Army Lieutenant General Joseph Anderson, Commander International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Joint Command, visited the Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) on Saturday, 7 June.

He was welcomed by German Army Major General Erhard Buehler, Commander JWC and U.S. Air Force Brigadier General John W. Doucette, the Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff. On the first day of his visit, Lieutenant General Anderson had an office call with Major General Buehler and attended briefings with JWC staff about the ISAF training event currently taking place until 13 June.

Overall, the visit enables JWC leadership to discuss with Lieutenant General Anderson the changes that will come with the transition to full Afghan security responsibility in the country at the end of 2014, when ISAF's mission will also end. Included in discussions were topics related to future training efforts in Afghanistan, which will be one of the major milestones on the roadmap of the Resolute Support mission as well as other topics that are important to NATO in the near term, such as the new (organizational) design and focus areas of the staff.

While in Stavanger, Lieutenant General Anderson will also have the opportunity to observe JWC's last ISAF training event, ISAF TE 14/01. During an afternoon "All Hands Call" today, Lieutenant General Anderson had the opportunity to address the incoming staff where he provided his vision and guidance; thanked the soldiers, sailors and airmen on operations in Afghanistan now and in the past, and praised JWC's unwavering support to the mission through its very realistic pre-deployment training since 2004.

As one of NATO's top Commanders in Afghanistan, Lieutenant General Joseph Anderson assumed command of the ISAF Joint Command (IJC) on 8 February 2014. He also serves as the Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Forces – Afghanistan (USFOR-A), and as the Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, North Carolina.