After a secret overnight trip from Washington, D.C., Obama is scheduled to get an on-site briefing from military commanders at Bagram Air Field, visit with wounded soldiers at the base hospital, and address a rally of some 32,000 American service members currently serving in Afghanistan.

The visit comes as Obama plans to wind down the Afghanistan war by year’s end.

Country music star Brad Paisley traveled with the president, and will perform for the troops at Bagram.

The visit also comes amid criticism over the treatment of veterans at VA hospitals. In his Saturday radio address, Obama said the nation must work harder to ensure that military veterans get the benefits they’ve earned.