Mediaboss Marketing

The one-star Marine commander who recently deployed to Afghanistan says his troops are not operating on the front lines of the fight against the Taliban, but there is no doubt his Marines are in a combat zone.

"The whole thing is a combat zone," said Brig. Gen. Roger B. Turner Jr., who leads Task Force Southwest, which includes roughly 300 Marines who arrived in Helmand province several weeks ago.

Turner voiced no concerns about restrictions placed on his Marines to stay out of harm's way or to reduce risk of casualties.

"We have the ability to put Marines where we need to put them in order to make the Afghan forces more capable and effective," Turner said.

However, he said he currently does not believe Marines need to accompany their Afghan partners into combat. I dont see that as a requirement right now, so far, yet, Turner said.

It marks the first time that a large Marine unit has deployed to Afghanistan since 2014, when official U.S. combat operations there concluded. The Marines will work with the 505th Zone National Police and the Afghan National Armys 215th Corps.

The war in Afghanistan rarely gets any attention from the mainstream media or politicians, but Turner said the U.S. militarys mission there is still significant.

Theres 20-odd terrorist groups that operate in Afghanistan that if we didnt succeed here, they would no doubt grow in capability, Turner said.

Read more here:
Back in Afghanistan: Marines 'exposed to some danger,' commander says - Marine Corps Times