Soldiers and Airmen of the West Virginia National Guard were critical components of Operation Allies Refuge, the Department of State-led project of evacuating Afghan citizens, which took place prior to the United States’ complete withdrawal from Afghanistan on Aug. 31, 2021.
The 167th Airlift Wing in Martinsburg, 130th Airlift Wing in Charleston and 111th Engineer Brigade, currently deployed to Kuwait, all provided specialized assistance to this important operation.
Two separate aircrew from the 167th Airlift Wing participated in the transport of passengers and cargo into and out of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. In total, the Martinsburg-based unit completed 14 sorties over 13 days carrying 37.7 short tons of cargo and 1,224 passengers.