Brian W. Everstine
Brian Everstine served as Air Force Magazine’s Pentagon editor, where he reported on US military operations, the Air Force’s presence abroad, among others. Brian is an alumnus of Military Times, Inside Washington Publishers, The Associated Press, and The (Tacoma, Wash.) News Tribune.
Recent stories by Brian W. Everstine
More Bases Accept Afghan Evacuees as Aug. 31 Deadline Looms
More U.S. bases are accepting Afghan refugees as the airlift out of Kabul enters its final days in the aftermath of the suicide bomb attack that killed 13 U.S. troops. The Pentagon announced Aug. 27 that Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., would bring in Afghans ...
Kabul Airlift Continues After Suicide Bombing Kills 13 Troops, Dozens of Afghans
The U.S. airlift mission in Afghanistan is continuing, following one of the deadliest attacks on American forces in the 20-year war. “These American service members who gave their lives … were heroes. Heroes who have been engaged in the dangerous, selfless mission to save the ...
European Bases Increase Support for Fleeing Afghans as Airlift Continues
U.S. bases across Europe are building their capacity to temporarily house and screen Afghans fleeing Taliban rule as the Aug. 31 deadline to withdrawal U.S. forces looms. So far, 82,300 people have been airlifted out of Afghanistan since Aug. 14. In a 24-hour period ending ...
Biden: Withdrawal On Pace to Finish by Aug. 31, But DOD Drawing Up Plans if Extension Needed
With a rapidly approaching deadline to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, President Joe Biden said the evacuation mission is on pace to finish by Aug. 31, though he has asked the Pentagon for contingency plans should that change. U.S. and coalition efforts have evacuated ...
The Future is Now
The U.S. cannot wait for a crisis moment to address China's pacing threat.
Q&A: Welcome Back, Secretary Kendall
Frank Kendall became the 26th Secretary of the Department of the Air Force on July 28, 2021. An engineer, lawyer, and West Point graduate, Kendall was the Defense Department undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology, and logistics from 2012 to 2017. He spoke with Editor ...
Multiple Babies Born During Kabul Airlift
At least three babies have been born during the airlift mission out of Kabul, as U.S. and international aircraft race to fly out at-risk Afghans and American citizens from the now Taliban-controlled country. Air Mobility Command on Aug. 21 said that during a C-17 flight ...
TRANSCOM: ‘All Mobility Resources’ Focused on Kabul Airlift Mission
Within a 24-hour span ending early Aug. 23, 25 C-17s, three C-130s, and 61 chartered and commercial aircraft had flown out of Kabul, carrying about 16,000 passengers, 11,000 of which were on U.S. military aircraft, marking the largest single-day total of the airlift. Some 37,000 ...
Civil Reserve Air Fleet Activated to Help with Kabul Evacuations
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III on Aug. 22 activated the Civil Reserve Air Fleet to assist with the ongoing airlift out of Afghanistan. Tens of thousands have fled the country. The Stage 1 CRAF activation includes 18 aircraft—three each from American Airlines, Atlas Air, ...
KC-46s Conduct First Operational Missions as Need for KC-10s, KC-135s Ramps Up Downrange
With KC-135s and KC-10s surging forward to help with the ongoing airlift out of Afghanistan, KC-46s are picking up some slack back home with the new tanker's first operational taskings under Air Mobility Command's plan to have the Pegasus start flying limited operations. KC-46s have ...
Kabul Evacuation Flight Sets C-17 Record With 823 On Board
The Aug. 15 C-17 evacuation flight from Kabul set a new record—by far—for the number of passengers carried on a Globemaster III flight at 823 people, a dramatic rise from the initially reported number on the flight. The crew of the C-17, call sign REACH871 ...
C-17s Ready to Ramp Up if Evacuees Can Make It to the Kabul Airport
The Pentagon is expecting to increase the pace of C-17 airlifts out of Kabul as the influx of troops has slowed to a trickle and the Globemaster IIIs are going in configured for larger loads of evacuating U.S. citizens and Afghans. However, the pace of ...
Kabul Evacuation Pace Increases as US Citizens, Afghans Struggle to Get to Airport
Airlift operations are increasing at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan, with about 20 C-17s flying out per day in what U.S. military leaders say is likely to be the country’s second-largest non-combatant evacuation operation in its history. “Right now, our mission is to secure that ...
These Airmen Closed Down Bases in Afghanistan. Now They’re Back to Run the Evacuation
The Air Force’s specialized emergency response team, which was called upon months ago to close down bases in Afghanistan, is back in the country to help bring Americans and partners out as the Taliban surrounds the last remaining U.S.-controlled airfield. The Pentagon announced Aug. 18 ...
USAF Investigating Remains Discovered on C-17 After Leaving Kabul
The Air Force is investigating the events that led to a C-17 taking off with civilians clinging to its landing gear then falling to their deaths as the aircraft left Kabul’s airport amid a chaotic scene Aug. 16. Videos of the C-17 departing have been ...