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Holloman to assist DOS to house vulnerable Afghans

  • Published
  • By 49th Wing Public Affairs

HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. – The Secretary of Defense has approved Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, as a site for temporarily housing vulnerable Afghans in support of Operation Allies Refuge.

Holloman AFB, N.M., joins Fort Pickett, Va.; Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.; Fort Lee, Va.; Fort McCoy, Wis.; Fort Bliss, Texas; and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., in providing temporary housing and support for up to 50,000 at risk Afghans.

The Department of Defense, through U.S. Northern Command, has agreed to provide to the Department of State (DOS) transportation and temporary housing, sustainment, and support inside the United States for Afghan special immigrant visa applicants, their families, and other at risk individuals at suitable facilities, in permanent or temporary structures, as quickly as possible.

"We are following through on America’s commitment to vulnerable Afghans and Afghan nationals who have helped us," Lt. Gen. Brad Webb, commander of Air Education and Training Command, said. "We are honored to provide the essential support where they and their families can complete processing safely."

The task force at Holloman AFB will provide housing, medical, logistics, and transportation support.

"We are proud to join Task Force Holloman, U.S. Army North, U.S. Northern Command, and the Department of Defense team, in supporting the State Department and Department of Homeland Security with this mission," Col. Ryan Keeney, 49th Wing commander, said.

U.S. Northern Command is the Department of Defense's lead combatant command for this mission in the continental United States and is providing oversight in support of the Department of State and Department of Homeland Security. U.S. Army North, as U.S. Northern Command's Joint Force Land Component Command, is the lead operational command for this mission.

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Editor’s Note: Per State Department guidance, once vulnerable Afghans arrive, installations are closed to media unless approved by USNORTHCOM and DOS. Requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and will only be approved on a not-to-interfere basis and media will not have any direct interaction with vulnerable Afghans.