The U.S. military units involved in the evacuation of Afghanistan two years ago were approved for an award recognizing their difficult work under life-threatening conditions.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Thursday that the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command, and Joint Task Force 82 of the 82nd Airborne Division and its supporting units were approved for the Presidential Unit Citation. The news came from a statement from the secretary marking the two-year anniversary of the U.S. military's withdrawal from Afghanistan.
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The U.S. military began a noncombatant evacuation operation in mid-August 2021 after the Taliban overthrew the U.S.-backed Ghani government and the U.S.-trained Afghan army. Thousands of Afghans who were afraid to live under the new Taliban regime swarmed the gates at the Kabul airport every day for the two weeks the flights took off.
"The Soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division and Joint Task Force 82 (JTF-82) demonstrated heroic discipline and courage during the execution of the non-combatant evacuation operations in support of Operation Allies Refuge at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan," Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth said in a statement. "The bravery of the Soldiers on the ground and the dedication of those who supported every evacuation flight exemplify the ideals of service with honor and compassion. Until the last aircraft departed, the 82nd Airborne Division and members of JTF-82 held the line and provided the safe passage needed to evacuate over 100,000 U.S. citizens, Afghan civilians, and family members."
The U.S. military was able to evacuate more than 120,000 civilians in August 2021 while under a grave threat of a terror attack, which came to reality on Aug. 26, when an ISIS-K terrorist detonated a suicide bomb. Thirteen U.S. service members were killed, dozens were injured, and about 170 Afghan civilians were killed in the blast.
"The courage and bravery shown by the Marines of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Central Command and Sailors while executing the largest noncombatant evacuation operation ever completed is unparalleled," Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro said in a statement. "These service members worked tirelessly to assist U.S. citizens, U.S. government officials, and thousands of desperate Afghan civilians trying to flee their country."
Gold Star parents of many of the 13 families traveled to Capitol Hill this week to participate in a roundtable event with House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), who's leading an investigation into the withdrawal. All of the parents in attendance had the opportunity to speak, and a common theme was anger toward military leadership as well as at the executive branch, including President Joe Biden, whom they believe has not given them the answers they deserve.
"Two years have gone by and where are we? To be frank, we're knee-deep in bulls*** is where we are," Mark Schmitz, the father of fallen Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, said during the event. "Everyone who held a key position in the military still has that position or has been promoted."
Similarly, Greg Page, the father of Marine Cpl. Daegan W. Page, said, "We’ve been lied to about what happened that day, as well as what happened to our children. We’ve been lied to about our relationship with the Taliban, which, by the way, have done more to take out the leaders of this attack than our own leadership has."
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Various service members have been presented awards over the last two years for their actions in concluding the war in Afghanistan.
The Presidential Unit Citation is the highest honor that a military unit can receive, and it's previously been given to troops who stormed ashore on D-Day, the Navy SEAL team that killed Osama Bin Laden, and the Coast Guard units that led the response to Hurricane Katrina.