WEBVTT 00:01.740 --> 00:03.796 Hey team , I'm Chief Master Sergeant 00:03.796 --> 00:05.962 Maribeth , where I am the six 33rd Air 00:05.962 --> 00:08.184 Base Wing Command chief and I just want 00:08.184 --> 00:10.296 to take a little bit of time to share 00:10.296 --> 00:12.750 my thoughts on the news on Afghanistan 00:12.760 --> 00:15.610 that continues to unfold in ordinary 00:15.610 --> 00:17.710 times , a wing white enlisted call 00:17.710 --> 00:19.766 would be appropriate . But given our 00:19.766 --> 00:21.766 current health protection posture , 00:21.766 --> 00:23.932 unfortunately it's not safe to do that 00:23.932 --> 00:26.099 right now . So even though this is not 00:26.099 --> 00:27.988 face to face , I hope the virtual 00:27.988 --> 00:30.154 platform still helps convey my message 00:30.154 --> 00:32.360 to you all . And so many of us may be 00:32.360 --> 00:34.582 struggling to understand the full scope 00:34.582 --> 00:36.582 and gravity of the situation you're 00:36.582 --> 00:38.693 seeing on the news . These events may 00:38.693 --> 00:40.804 be feel deeply personal when we think 00:40.804 --> 00:42.582 back on the time spent with our 00:42.582 --> 00:44.638 brothers and sisters in arms and the 00:44.638 --> 00:46.749 Afghan people . So the one question I 00:46.749 --> 00:48.971 do see that keeps floating around is if 00:48.971 --> 00:51.027 our service in Afghanistan was truly 00:51.027 --> 00:53.138 worth it . So for this proud airmen , 00:53.138 --> 00:55.193 the answer is yes . Many of us still 00:55.193 --> 00:57.340 remember vividly and exactly what we 00:57.340 --> 00:59.340 were doing during the attack on our 00:59.340 --> 01:02.350 country during 911 . And within hours 01:02.360 --> 01:04.670 airmen including airmen from JBl E 01:04.680 --> 01:07.150 answered the call to secure homeland 01:07.540 --> 01:09.707 and took the fight against terrorism , 01:09.707 --> 01:11.484 the foreign land , most notably 01:11.484 --> 01:14.020 Afghanistan , we answered that call in 01:14.020 --> 01:16.860 making sure terror never return to our 01:16.860 --> 01:20.050 homeland . We served with honor and we 01:20.050 --> 01:22.161 must never forget our fallen brothers 01:22.161 --> 01:24.050 and sisters who paid the ultimate 01:24.050 --> 01:26.440 sacrifice . So our time spent there was 01:26.440 --> 01:28.480 both meaningful and necessary . We 01:28.480 --> 01:31.060 provided hope for an entire country and 01:31.060 --> 01:33.310 an entire generation grew up to enjoy 01:33.310 --> 01:35.310 freedoms that the country has never 01:35.310 --> 01:37.532 seen before , even if it was for just a 01:37.532 --> 01:40.550 moment of time . Even now at this very 01:40.550 --> 01:42.383 moment our airmen are living and 01:42.383 --> 01:44.770 breathing our core values by focusing 01:44.770 --> 01:46.826 on the present mission to facilitate 01:46.826 --> 01:49.420 the safe evacuation of U . S . Citizens , 01:49.430 --> 01:52.250 special immigrant visa applicants and 01:52.250 --> 01:54.460 other at risk afghan nationals . 01:55.040 --> 01:57.630 Currently approximately 5800 troops are 01:57.630 --> 01:59.519 on the ground to secure the Kabul 01:59.519 --> 02:02.320 airport To allow our C- 17 aircraft to 02:02.320 --> 02:04.264 safely land and conduct evacuation 02:04.264 --> 02:06.490 operations . And since the beginning of 02:06.490 --> 02:08.657 the evacuation operations on August 14 02:08.660 --> 02:10.882 and as of August 21 , we have evacuated 02:10.882 --> 02:13.840 approximately 17,000 people And have 02:13.840 --> 02:16.650 relocated approximately 22,000 people . 02:17.240 --> 02:19.660 I have seen many images that spark hope , 02:20.340 --> 02:22.400 a little child sleeping peacefully 02:22.400 --> 02:24.850 covered in an airman's uniform . A 02:24.850 --> 02:27.072 young boy with a big smile as he enters 02:27.072 --> 02:29.017 the safety of the airport and that 02:29.017 --> 02:30.850 moving image of countless afghan 02:30.850 --> 02:32.683 civilians huddled together in an 02:32.683 --> 02:35.017 aircraft as they fly to their new lives . 02:35.140 --> 02:37.820 I am very proud to be an airman and I'm 02:37.820 --> 02:39.820 very proud of those who have been a 02:39.820 --> 02:41.876 part of this endeavor . And so while 02:41.876 --> 02:43.653 some of us may not be called to 02:43.653 --> 02:45.820 directly support this mission , we are 02:45.820 --> 02:48.042 all trained professionals to understand 02:48.042 --> 02:50.264 the complexity , urgency and importance 02:50.264 --> 02:52.487 of our own missions sustain formed by a 02:52.487 --> 02:54.542 credible sources and stay physically 02:54.542 --> 02:57.120 mentally and spiritually fit so we can 02:57.120 --> 02:59.880 be ready to execute any mission any 02:59.880 --> 03:03.320 time anyway . This isn't an easy time 03:03.330 --> 03:05.497 and let's continue to look out for one 03:05.497 --> 03:07.497 another . And if you or your airman 03:07.497 --> 03:09.497 needs support , please reach out to 03:09.497 --> 03:11.663 your supervisor , first sergeant . And 03:11.663 --> 03:13.497 as you know , all of our helping 03:13.497 --> 03:15.608 agencies are always ready to assist . 03:15.608 --> 03:17.680 So do not suffer in silence . What 03:17.680 --> 03:19.680 means more now than anything is the 03:19.680 --> 03:21.569 character we show in handling the 03:21.569 --> 03:24.060 crisis abroad and at home , continue to 03:24.060 --> 03:25.949 serve with excellence , honor and 03:25.949 --> 03:28.290 dignity . We will remain the world's 03:28.300 --> 03:29.460 greatest Air Force .