Photo By Staff Sgt. Samantha Hircock | Sgt. Tuan Nortman, an allied trade specialist, and Sgt. Nadia Guerdet, an automated...... read more read more
Subscribe
JOHNSTON, Iowa - They had no idea what would happen or even what they were going there to do. While deployed to Kuwait in 2021 with the 3654th Support Maintenance Company, Iowa Army National Guard, two Soldiers were part of a group selected to go to Qatar for what—to them—was a mysterious mission.
They went, they waited, and then one morning they were told to prepare. They would find themselves essentially building a small city for refugees out of Afghanistan.
“That first night, after we found out and we had prepared, we were thinking that maybe we wouldn’t get any refugees,” said Sgt. Nadia Guerdet, an automated logistics specialist, now assigned to the 3655th Classification and Inspection Company, Iowa Army National Guard. “Next day, we woke up and greeted the first plane out of Kabul. We were already tired after putting in so much to get ready, but the first thought was just making sure the refugees were okay.”
Those who were chosen for the mission to Qatar, unknowingly, were part of a contingent meant to support massive emergency evacuation efforts.
“We didn’t know what was going on at first,” said Sgt. Tuan Nortman, an allied trade specialist, also now with the 3655th CICO. “We were confused, irritated, and waiting for whatever was to come was difficult. Then, just like that, we stopped thinking about ourselves and started thinking about these people who needed help.”
The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan ended in August 2021, marking the last days of a two-decade conflict that stands as America’s longest war.
“I think about how no one else will ever have that story, and how it was just a unique place to be,” said Nortman.
Neither Guerdet nor Nortman expected to be part of one of the most significant events in U.S. history, but they were both driven by the motivation to help those in need during that critical time.
“There were civilian contractors, Afghans, Marines, all different types,” said Guerdet. “We moved over ten thousand beds, gave out supplies and kept children with their parents. There were even a couple of births in the first few days! It was a very rewarding experience [to be able to help].”
Over 100,000 people were evacuated from Afghanistan over the course of the withdrawal, including thousands of U.S. citizens, in an extraordinary effort that required the dedication of so many.
“It was sad leaving because we had built friendships not just with each other, but with refugees,” said Nortman. “There was one kid who would always just play tricks on us, was always talkative and would sit outside to have a chat with us. He told us he was going to live with his uncle in the states, and we anxiously waited for him to get his flight to the U.S. and start his new life.”
| Date Taken: | 01.08.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 01.09.2023 23:36 |
| Story ID: | 436429 |
| Location: | JOHNSTON, IA, US |
| Hometown: | ALLEMAN, IA, US |
| Hometown: | WEST LIBERTY, IA, US |
| Web Views: | 255 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Extraordinary day to day, by SSG Samantha Hircock, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT