Airmen last week responded to a landslide in Afghanistan’s Balkh province by airlifting some 17,000 pounds of relief supplies to victims. Members of the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron worked with Army quartermasters at Bagram Air Base, packing 16 pallets of food, water, and essentials onto C-130s for delivery to the northern province, which borders Uzbekistan. “It’s been a long day, but this morning we got the opportunity to help the locals after a natural disaster, which is what we do back home,” said Capt. Chris Armstrong, a navigator with the expeditionary unit deployed from the Texas Air National Guard’s 181st Airlift Squadron in Fort Worth. The landslide inundated nearly 100 farms in the region, destroying the crops and homes of many of the farmers. “At the end of the day, it isn’t just a war we are fighting here but we are also here to help,” said Army Pfc. Kenneth Bosch, helping with the mission. (Bagram report by MSgt. Michael Voss)
One Airman was killed and three others injured in a vehicle mishap at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., on June 29. Additionally, two first responder Airmen sustained injuries responding to the incident. All five injured Airmen have been transported to nearby medical facilities, according to a release from the base.