Afghanistan evac operations: Airmen experiences

“I just hit my year mark while being deployed out in Al Udeid. This mission and being a part of it is exactly why I joined. I help with supplies and make sure there are enough. I'll clean the bathroom if it needs to be done. I'm an all-around helper. I've been here since day one [of the evacuation]. One gentleman I spoke to said he hadn't slept for three days and said this is some of the best sleep he's ever gotten. I'm just happy that I can guarantee safety for him, and that he knows he can close his eyes and know his family will be alright so that he doesn't have to wake up in the middle of the night and start running. I am proud that I'm a part of everyone else working together to make this mission happen. When people talk about it, I can say that I was there and I was helping out. When they talk about what this group did and the impact it made, I can say I was a part of the group,” said Airman 1st Class Micheal Robinson, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing. Service members of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, as well as other supporting agencies are working 24/7 to support ongoing evacuation operations out of Afghanistan Aug. 22, 2021, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. As part of the operation, thousands of qualified evacuees continue to arrive here from Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan, on board multiple military aircraft. The Department of Defense is committed to supporting the evacuation of American citizens, Special Immigrant Visa applicants and other at-risk individuals from Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Alexandria Lee)