Senator Jim Inhofe: Oklahoma's 45th Soldiers Play Vital Role In Afghanistan

NewsOn6.com

WASHINGTON -- A visit to Oklahomans serving in Afghanistan was one of the stops for Republican Senator Jim Inhofe.

The Oklahoma senator, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee returned October 2, 2011 from a Congressional Delegation trip to the region.

August was the deadliest month for US forces since the war in Afghanistan began in 2001, and since being deployed in late July, the 45th IBCT has lost 13 soldiers.

"The 45th is playing a vital role in Afghanistan as they fight to defeat terrorist networks," Inhofe said. "The area where they are located in eastern Afghanistan has seen some of the heaviest fighting, because it is one of the last strongholds for the insurgency which includes members of the Taliban, the Haqanni network, and the HIG militant group. Some of the locations our Soldiers are operating in have not seen U.S. or Coalition forces in over eight years," said Senator Jim Inhofe.

Inhofe visited Oklahoma 45th troops at Forward Operating Base Gamberi and Bagram Air Base. Improvised Explosive Devises remain a critical threat to the 45th.

Inhofe personally delivered a piece of military equipment made in Stillwater. The item is FIDO NXT. According to Inhofe, the FIDO NXT provides expanded detection capabilities to include homemade explosives.