News Archive

March 25, 2022

A Diplomat’s Perspective on Operation Allies Welcome and the Importance of a Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Perspective

Bureau of Political-Military Affairs — In mid-July of 2021, I found myself serving as the Department’s sole Foreign Policy Advisor (POLAD) at North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM). This was when the crisis planning began for evacuating our Afghan allies, which eventually brought almost 80,000 Afghans to safety in the United

Green Berets with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) load snowmobiles onto a Royal Canadian Air Force C-130 Hercules during Exercise ARCTIC EDGE 2022 in Wainwright, Alaska, March 12, 2022. AE22 is a biennial, binational exercise designed to provide realistic and effective training for participants using the premier training locations available throughout Alaska, February 28 – March 17. (DoD photo)

March 18, 2022

ARCTIC EDGE 22 comes to a close

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — U.S. Northern Command’s exercise Arctic Edge 22 came to a close March 16 across the state of Alaska. Hosted by Alaskan Command, the bi-national, multi-service exercise is held every two years with roots going back more than five decades to a shared commitment to the defense of North America.

Soldiers assigned to Task Force Liberty wave goodbye to Afghan guests.

March 17, 2022

DOD ceases Afghan Evacuee Safe Haven operations at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst

PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. — U.S. Northern Command concluded DoD installation support to Operation Allies Welcome with the closure of safe haven operations at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., March 15.

A middle school Spanish teacher, receives her COVID-19 vaccine.

March 1, 2022

Military hospital support to FEMA to begin in Utah, continues in several states

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, one team of approximately 20 military medical personnel, including doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists, will deploy to the state of Utah to support civilian healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients.

Spc. Kiyana Santamaria, left, an Army motor transport operator, and Spc. Jessica Koroma, a religious affairs specialist with 377th Transportation Company, 142nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 1st Armored Division, interacts with Afghan children while serving as a member of a female engagement team in support of Operation Allies Welcome at Fort Bliss’ Doña Ana Complex in New Mexico, Sept. 11, 2021. FETs assist female Afghan guests with navigating in processing procedures and other issues and concerns they may have. The Department of Defense, through U.S. Northern Command, and in support of the Department of Homeland Security, is providing transportation, temporary housing, medical screening, and general support for at least 50,000 Afghan evacuees at suitable facilities, in permanent or temporary structures, as quickly as possible. This initiative provides Afghan personnel essential support at secure locations outside Afghanistan. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Christina Westover, 24th Theater Public Affairs Support Element)

Feb. 19, 2022

Operation Allies Welcome Announces Departure of All Afghan Nationals from U.S. Military Bases

WASHINGTON — Operation Allies Welcome announced that all remaining Afghan evacuees have departed Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, where they have been temporarily housed since evacuating Afghanistan, to be resettled in their new communities across the nation.

U.S. Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Christopher Michon, left, assigned to 773d Transportation Company, Fort Totten, New York, verifies an Afghan evacuee’s information during winter gear distribution at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, Dec. 13, 2021.

Feb. 16, 2022

Operation Allies Welcome Announces Departure of Last Afghan Nationals from Fort McCoy, Wisconsin

WASHINGTON — Today, the last group of Afghan nationals temporarily housed at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin as part of Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) departed the base.

At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, approximately 90 military medical personnel, including doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists are continuing to deploy in six teams to three states to support civilian healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients

Feb. 11, 2022

Military hospital support to FEMA to begin in Massachusetts, expand in Arizona, Maine

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, approximately 90 military medical personnel, including doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists are continuing to deploy in six teams to three states to support civilian healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients.

Paratroopers from C Troop, 1st Squadron (Airborne), 40th Cavalry Regiment jump into Donnelly Drop Zone Feb. 29, 2020, from a Royal Canadian Air Force C-130 as part of Arctic Edge 2020. As a Homeland Defense exercise, AE20 is designed to provide high quality and effective training in the extreme cold-weather conditions found in Arctic environments. The exercise is conducted under the authority of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command. AE20 is the largest joint exercise scheduled in Alaska this year. (Army photo/John Pennell)

Feb. 8, 2022

Alaskan Command Prepares for Exercise Arctic Edge 2022

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Alaskan Command will conduct ARCTIC EDGE, a biennial exercise, Feb. 28 – March 17. ARCTIC EDGE is designed to provide realistic and effective training for participants using the premier training locations available throughout Alaska. Alaskan Command has successfully operated in the Arctic and defended Alaska for more than 70 years.

A sailor with Task Force Pickett, assists an Afghan evacuee during their final departure at Fort Pickett, Virginia on Feb. 1, 2022. The Department of Defense, through U.S. Northern Command, and in support of the Department of Homeland Security, is providing transportation, temporary housing, medical screening, and general support for at least 50,000 Afghan evacuees at suitable facilities, in permanent or temporary structures, as quickly as possible. This initiative provides Afghan personnel essential support at secure locations outside Afghanistan. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. David Intriago)

Feb. 3, 2022

Operation Allies Welcome Announces Departure of Last Afghan Nationals from Fort Pickett, Virginia

FORT PICKETT, Va. — The last group of Afghan nationals temporarily housed at Fort Pickett, Virginia as part of Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) departed the base.

A man wearing a face mask, gloves and medical gown holds an oxygen tank.

Feb. 3, 2022

Military hospital support to FEMA to begin in four states, expands in two states

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, approximately 220 military medical personnel, including medical doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists have deployed, or will deploy within the next two weeks, in fourteen teams to six states to support civilian healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients.

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Kristian Hill, a registered nurse assigned to 14th Field Hospital, transports a patient during the COVID response operations at Lifespan Community Health Institute in Providence, Rhode Island, Jan. 24, 2022. U.S. Northern Command, through U.S. Army North, remains committed to providing flexible Department of Defense support to the whole-of-government COVID response. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kaden D. Pitt)

Jan. 28, 2022

Military hospital support to FEMA to begin in Maine, Maryland, expands in three states

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, approximately 115 military medical personnel, including medical doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists, have deployed or will deploy in five teams, to five states to support civilian healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients.

Afghan guests loaded bags into a charter bus to depart to their new homes as their last step in the resettlement process during Operation Allies Welcome, Jan. 7, 2022. Through the Afghan Placement and Assistance Program (APA), individuals are placed in communities across the country to begin rebuilding their lives. This initiative provides essential support at secure locations outside of Afghanistan. The Department of Defense, through U.S. Northern Command, and in support of the Department of Homeland Security, is providing transportation, temporary housing, medical screening, and general support for at least 50,000 Afghan evacuees at suitable facilities in permanent or temporary structures as quickly as possible. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Trinity Carter)

Jan. 27, 2022

Operation Allies Welcome Announces Departure of Last Afghan Nationals from Camp Atterbury, Indiana

WASHINGTON — Yesterday, the last group of Afghan nationals temporarily housed at Camp Atterbury, Indiana as part of Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) departed the base.

At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, approximately 220 military medical personnel have deployed or will deploy ten new teams to eight states and the Navajo Nation to support civilian healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients.

Jan. 21, 2022

Military hospital support to FEMA begins in five states, Navajo Nation, expands elsewhere

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, approximately 220 military medical personnel have deployed or will deploy ten new teams to eight states and the Navajo Nation to support civilian healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients.

Senior Airman Taylor McAfee, financial operations technician, 88th Comptroller Squadron, currently assigned as Task Force-Liberty Joint Readiness Center non-medical escort, teaches English phrases to Afghan children in Liberty Village on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, Feb. 1, 2022. The Department of Defense, through U.S. Northern Command, and in support of the Department of Homeland Security, is providing transportation, temporary housing, medical screening, and general support for at least 11,000 Afghan evacuees at Liberty Village, in permanent or temporary structures, as quickly as possible. This initiative provides Afghan personnel essential support at secure locations outside Afghanistan

Jan. 20, 2022

Human Security at Task Force Liberty

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. — At Task Force Liberty, staff are committed to providing safe, secure, dignified and equitable access to information, goods and services to the entire guest population as they await resettlement in the United States. To do this, leadership and staff at every level have taken a human-centered approach to the mission.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Gabriel Martinez, an Odessa, Texas, native and medical technician assigned to the 59th Medical Wing, prepares COVID-19 vaccine at the state-run, federally-supported COVID-19 Community Vaccination Center at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, April 1, 2021.

Jan. 4, 2022

Military hospital support to FEMA begins in New Hampshire, New York, continues in eight states

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, approximately 35 military medical personnel will deploy in two new teams – one 15-person team to New Hampshire, and one 20-person team to New York – to support civilian healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients.

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