Maj. Gen. Gordon B. Davis Jr., left, Maj. Gen. Richard Kaiser, center, and Gen. John Nicholson, right, attend the CSTC-A change-of-command ceremony July 14, 2016 at NATO's Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Christopher Hanson/CSTC-A)
KABUL, Afghanistan — Maj. Gen. Richard G. Kaiser on Thursday assumed command of the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, which develops Afghan security forces.
Kaiser took over from Maj. Gen. Gordon B. Davis Jr., who led CSTC-A since October last year, and will become the J3 for U.S. European Command.
CSTC-A, is tasked with developing the capabilities of Afghan security forces in areas such as management and sustainability, in partnership with the Afghan government.
“Together, you and I, we have much work to do and I give you my word that I will do my best to ensure Afghanistan has an effective, sustainable, and affordable national defense force. You deserve my best efforts, and you will get them,” Kaiser said.
Gen. John W. Nicholson Jr., the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, was among the coalition and Afghan officials in attendance.
A day earlier, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani thanked Davis for his efforts in reforming the procurement and supply processes of the national Defense Ministry and presented Davis with a medal.
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Maj. Gen. Gordon B. Davis Jr., left, Maj. Gen. Richard Kaiser, center, and Gen. John Nicholson, right, attend the CSTC-A change-of-command ceremony July 14, 2016 at NATO's Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Christopher Hanson/CSTC-A)
Maj. Gen. Richard Kaiser, incoming commander of Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan, accepts the guidon from Gen. John Nicholson, commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan during a change-of-command ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Thursday, July 14, 2016. (Christopher Hanson/CSTC-A)
Maj. Gen. Richard Kaiser speaks to the assembled crowd after assuming command of Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan on Thursday, July 14, 2016, at NATO's Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Christopher Hanson/CSTC-A)
Maj. Gen. Gordon B. Davis Jr., right, outgoing commander of Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan, presents the guidon to Gen. John Nicholson, commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, during a change-of-command ceremony on Thursday, July 14, 2016, at NATO's Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul. (Christopher Hanson/CSTC-A)
