Turner's Afghanistan visit a plus for ex-aide
Man's parents get a chance to talk with son from his station on border.
By Jessica Wehrman, Dayton Daily News Staff Writer
WASHINGTON — Rep. Mike Turner reunited with one of his former aides this week in Afghanistan — and the aide's parents got to reap the benefit of that visit.
Turner, R-Centerville, who went with two staff members to Afghanistan to meet with the troops and other military leaders, met with Scott Thompson, a Bellefontaine native who worked as a staff assistant for about six months during Turner's first year in office.
Turner arranged for Thompson, 26, to talk to his parents by videophone from Thompson's station on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan at 4:15 a.m. Wednesday. The meeting was joyful, said Thompson's mom, Peggy Thompson. Peggy and Gary Thompson also have a son, Greg, 28, who is serving in Afghanistan. "They make us proud," said Peggy Thompson.
She said Thompson "was tickled" to meet with his former boss and give him a tour of where he and the 20th Special Forces Group are stationed.
Turner met with 50 troops from Ohio. He said troops stationed in Afghanistan "are definitely feeling as if the American public is not aware of the everyday danger men and women in Afghanistan are feeling."
"Afghanistan is as violent today as it has ever been," he said, adding that al-Qaida continues to train in Pakistan and would like the Taliban to regain control of Afghanistan.
Turner said Thompson's team is working to train the Afghan army and secure the area where they're deployed.
"When we get briefings in Washington, they're third- or fourth-hand," he said. "Here was an opportunity to actually go to a forward-operating base and talk to the special forces."
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