A leaked U.S. government email describes squalid, unsanitary conditions at an air base for Afghan refugees in Doha, Qatar. In January, the KC-135 Stratotanker refueling fleetat Al Udeidcompleted more than 14,700 sorties for operations tied to Freedoms Sentineland Inherent Resolve. Email her atopawlyk@airforcetimes.com. At intermediate staging bases, we have been focused on building capacity, rapidly processing, and facilitating onward movement.. Today's video is about the transient living area called RLB's. When you're deploying you may or may not stay here depending on your. Includes Crete, Iraklion and Souda Bay. | Help. Maj. Gen. Andrew J . The dorms being built at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, will be safer if attacked by rockets and more comfortable than temporary living quarters, Air Force engineers said on April 22, 2022. That is what Washington is doing today with America's Al-Udeid airbase in Qatar. AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar - When many people picture or reminisce on deployments, they visualize rugged conditions. Gabe Joselow reported from Kabul, Fallon Gallagher from Chantilly, Va., Yuliya Talmazan from London and Abigail Williams from Washington. After touching down in Doha, Sara said, passengers had been held on board the aircraft for seven hours and the intense heat had caused her and some others to faint. A screenshot of the Air Force's press release on growing mold during humid temperatures. "This is all a matter of perspective," Menning, who was in Al Udeid for a year in 2008, said. I know the Air Force guys at Al Udeid would get compensation for how "below standard" the barracks were, but they were the best I had ever seen. The Base houses foreign coalition personnel. A humid day today. stream Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby says the US is working on improving conditions for Afghan evacuees at a US airbase in Qatar after video footage obtained by media outlets showed them living in. However, construction has been reportedly plagued by technical problems, including faulty wiring. The Al Udeid Air Base now serves as a logistics, command, and basing hub for U.S. operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. ", Posted by People Of The Deid onWednesday, January 6, 2016. On Wednesday, a group of Republican and Democratic members of Congress called on Biden to extend it so that the military could finish its evacuation mission. See paragraph 170301. Doha News has a variety of marketing opportunities for businesses and organizations across our platforms. Nobody here wants anyone to be less than safe, secure, comfortable and well cared for, as they go through this process. For living quarters, the base looked to turn over to the Blatchford-Preston complex dormitories in 2008, commonly known as BPC (Better People Complex,nicknamed for the people eligible to live there). The email was sent last Friday by supervisory special agent Colin Sullivan, a State Department official who serves as a liaison to the Central Command, and went to officials at both the State Department and Pentagon. xY[o~7&'(R7(kn$E>(ZH]_f$.P9:9m\ON\%=9kyA|,WU]US;8gg_NG};>,(Qfs|^~9> X'%G,%1Wu9?vNn(VLgw,9gRSd}tsEn77k,OSidO"@cx,L2eL$U~LA [w@u2iv ]LQ8|rdj3mt9t~_jN4ZvVv]7a. "There are bound to be some or even multiple discomforts.". Nobodys ducking from this. METAR Al Udeid Air Base - OTBH/XJD . Airmen have been raising concerns about germ-addled rooms, spore-clogged air conditioners, crumbling structures, and poorly . In his message, Sullivan also warned government officials that while the conditions that Afghan refugees are escaping in Kabul should not be downplayed, "the current conditions in Doha are of our own doing.". It was sent by US Central Command special agent Colin Sullivan and included notes from Doha embassy staff about the conditions at the airbase. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told a press conference Tuesday the group would not agree to U.S. forces staying past Aug. 31 to continue evacuations. Al Udeid is an example of multiple leaders at multiple levels over multiple years failing to fulfill this basic duty.. Al Udeid has becomean integral part to missions inAfghanistan, currently calledOperations Freedom's Sentinel or Resolute Support,and to the fight against the Islamic State group under Operation Inherent Resolve. It is host to a forward headquarters of United States Central Command, headquarters of United States Air Forces Central, No. A government official who read Sullivans email to Axios told the news outlet that the State Department had done little to advise the Pentagon on building appropriate facilities for thousands of refugees. Civilian clothes everywhere. He warned they wouldtake over airport securityin Kabul, which the US currently controls, after the deadline. Daily high temperatures hover between 115 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The Air Force is using memes and emojis to show airmen what sexual harassment looks like online. In the email, Sullivan described "a life-threatening humanitarian disaster" and included excerpts from Doha Embassy staff that described the conditions for refugees as "a living hell" and "nightmare.". Many of the complaints which include photos of a mattress speckled with what appears to be mold, dead insects inside a soap dispensary and a video of a washroom with dark moisture stains running down the wall are focused on the bases older accommodation, which is known as the Coalition Complex. A memo from a US Central Command official that surfaced last week described Al Udeid Air Base, where the majority of people are transitioning through, as a 'living hell' where 'trash, urine, fecal . ", "My main concern regarding my experience there was the safety of the flight operations due to the inability to get good rest," said Maj. Travis Grantham with the Arizona Air National Guard. KABUL, Afghanistan As thousands more people were evacuated from Kabul's airport Wednesday, reports have emerged that dire conditions await them in transit hubs like Qatar. Trash, urine, fecal matter, spilled liquids and vomit cover the floors, one communication read. IE 11 is not supported. Explore over 14,000 courses with hole maps, reviews, photos, and current conditions. Youre seeing a lot of changes, said U.S. Air Force Col. Arno J. Bischoff, who is overseeing the construction as director of the 9th Air Force (Air Forces Central) program management office. WORKING AND LIVING CONDITIONS. The airport has one runway: 16/34. Airmen with the "Cadillac Maintenance Team," part of the 379thExpeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron,for example,have completedmore than 600 work orders,with more than 23,000 man hours since Dec. 31, the Air Force said. The "dire conditions" at the al-Udeid Air Base in Doha were reportedly described as a "living nightmare." Sayed Harris/Facebook Among the notes was the sanitation issues, lack of air. 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Menning also said that there is a clear disconnect between AFCENT members headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, and those deployed. (J.P. Lawrence/Stars and Stripes), These senior officer quarters are due to be finished around October at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, as part of an expansion project at the base. As Bischoff drove through the base Friday morning, he said he could see the heavy machinery tearing down the temporary living quarters that housed airmen over the past two decades. "The mold itself is not toxic, but under the right conditions can produce a toxin. This story, originally published on Feb. 23,has been updated with new information. The airport resides at an elevation of 472 feet (144 m) above mean sea level. The goal under the five-year construction plan has been to move airmen from the older Coalition Compound complex, or CC, quarters to the newer BPC, which is now in its fourth phase of construction. On Friday, a US Central Command (Centcom) official had launched a scathing attack in an internal email obtained by Axios over the deplorable conditions and treatment of Afghan refugees at the American-run facilities in Qatar. So they had fled from Afghanistan's capital, she added. In a commentabout the email, Navy Capt. There were not a lot of bathrooms, people would take showers with bottles of water," Sara, an American citizen who lives in Charlottesville, Virginia, said. The base expects20 new lodging facilities with integrated, quality bathrooms in the summer of 2016, Maj. Angela Webb, spokeswoman for the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, told Air Force Times on Feb. 18. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account. Englewood, Colorado, United States. Al Udeid air base in Qatar not only houses the "brains" of America's air operations over the middle eastthe Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC)but it also hosts key support. She said that her family feared the Taliban because they held American passports and her father had worked as an interpreter for the U.S. government. (J.P. Lawrence/Stars and Stripes). They were both a little scared and excited to become the U.S. Air Force's newest Airmen. THE HILL 1625 K STREET, NW SUITE 900 WASHINGTON DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 TEL | 202-628-8503 FAX. EPA/Airman 1st Class Kylie Barrow / US Air Force, .S. The conditions at the al-Udeid Air Base in Doha were described in internal emails sent to State Department and Pentagon officials last Friday as the Biden administration continues to face mounting criticism over its botched handling of the evacuations, Axios reports. Localities in the Area Abu Nakhla Village Service members prepare to board evacuees onto a C-17 Globemaster lll at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Sunday. But the problems are chronic: airmen past and present,or those who visitedthe base, say these conditions are a decades-old dilemma that seem to be on repeat, no matter what the Air Force tries to do. At intermediate staging bases, we have been focused on building capacity, rapidly processing, and facilitating onward movement." The Pentagon later on Tuesday acknowledged "what had been some. AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar Construction workers are putting the finishing touches on new dorms for thousands of airmen at Al Udeid Air Base, U.S. military officials said Friday. Images of Afghans being housed in un-airconditioned facilities with too few lavatories and no toilet paper had been circulated among local U.S. Embassy staff and had reinforced their reluctance to consider evacuation despite intense fear of the Taliban takeover, the cable added. Some claimed they slept on the floor for days and feared contracting Covid-19 in crowded facilities amid a lack of medical care, the cable said. Airmen have taken to one Facebook group, "People of the Deid," to post their distaste for the unsatisfactory environment. The Taliban on Tuesday demanded all US troops be out of Afghanistan by Aug. 31, saying they will not extend the deadline for evacuations. Contact us today. On the other, mold cakes the walls, showers and air conditioning filters;bugs nest in food and urine and feces flow out of broken bathroom facilities.It's the tale of two Al Udeids, a base in Doha, Qatar, home to over 9,000 service members and civilians working in support of U.S. and allied operations in the Middle East. The goal has been to move airmen from the older Coalition Compound complex, or CC, quarters to the newer BPC. (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); PoTD fan submit. " The groups spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said during a press conference that theywant all evacuations to stop at the end of the month despite thousands of Americans and Afghans still trying to flee. Pentagon says the US is working on improving conditions for Afghan evacuees at the US base following reports of wretched conditions. "It was very sad because we had to leave our family without saying goodbye," she said. As Maj. Lauren Olme, 77th Weapons Squadron assistant director of operations, fires up the engines of a B-1 Lancer on Dyess Air Force Base, she is living out her lifelong dream of being a pilot. Looking for military contract jobs in Qatar? Are we going to allow the mission to determine the timetable, or are we going to let the timetable, determine the mission?". Amentum is seeking a Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) for a position located at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar supporting the Air Force. Gallantry: Biden presents Medal of Honor to retired Army Col. Paris Davis for his heroics in Vietnam, US to send bridge-launching vehicles for tank deployments to Ukraine in new $400M aid package, Japan complains to US over Utah senators remarks on imprisoned Navy officer, Military, VA provide troops, vets more gun safety options to help reduce suicides, Pentagon tells service members to stop displaying giant US flags at major events, K-Town Now features the latest news from the Kaiserslautern Military Community. These conditions are nothing new. Isaiah Campbell / U.S. Marine Corps/Getty Images, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Qatar has been praised on a global scale for its swift evacuation of Afghans in "the largest airlift of people in history". "What you see on some of these Facebook pagesisn't poor maintenance, that's vandalism,and there needs to be respect between fellow airmen," he said. When they arrive at the base airmen are told that air filters need to be cleaned out on a daily basis to keep the mold out. I can tell you that for the secretary on down, everybodys focused on trying to improve that, he said. Between 2003 and 2007, Congress appropriated and approved about $126 million (in 2015-16 inflation standards, that would be roughly $165 million). What they're saying: One official familiar both with the flights and the airfield in Qatar told Axios the hangars at Al Udeid have no air conditioning, only large fans and evaporative "swamp coolers." "It's brutally hot," the official said. Sullivans email further shared excerpts from Doha Embassy staff communications about conditions at the base. Ayotte's staff has fielded complaints of "unacceptable" living conditions at the base, where about 100 New Hampshire Air National Guardsmen . Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights. He served in the U.S. Army from 2008 to 2017. Photos and video footage shared with Al Jazeera showed hundreds of Afghans crowded together in unsanitary conditions in a hangar at Al Udeid airbase in Qatar. And airmen have a lot to say about it. Operationally,C-130 units on rotation to the base provideairlift, airdrop and aeromedical evacuation to areas within U.S. Central Command. It houses the Qatar Emiri Air Force, United States Air Force, Royal Air Force, and other foreign forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Qatar has helped facilitate the transit ofUScitizens, embassystaff, and at-risk Afghans through Doha as it hosts an Americanprocessing centre for people arriving from Afghanistan. He said that in the previous 24 hours, 90 U.S. military and other international flights had evacuated 19,000 more people, bringing the total evacuation number so far to about 88,000. Living conditions are poor, at best. In addition to that dream, she achieved a new feat that will impact future generations of servicewomen: Flying while pregnant. This meant allowing theheat to slowly cook your room rotisserie-style as you toss and turn all night.". But the Air Force saysmajor illnesses have not been identified. The HEO will be responsible for preparing and constructing and maintaining roads, and grounds, concrete work, soil stabilization, and rigid and flexible pavement construction and maintenance IAW international, US . Mobility crews who spend anywhere from a few days to a few months at Al Udeid but return on frequent rotations have been complaining to leaders of several commands for years on end to no avail. Bathrooms in complete disrepair will need a complete renovation, which willcostapproximately $130,000 per facility, Webb said. Among the notes was the sanitation issues, lack of air conditioning and a rat infestation. Here, a U.S. Marine passes out water to evacuees during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, August 22. Among the changes, Burns said that a little over 110 portable toilets have been installed and cleaning services for them have been increased to keep up with demand. In a line of traffic at the airport gate, military-style vehicles with mounted machine guns, adorned with white Taliban flags, could be seen. In a joint effort between U.S. Central Command. Al Udeid was a very fast paced, every changing work environment. ""Deployed there since 2001 multiple times a year. Alexander Baldwin, who works on long-term plans for the project. Earlier this year, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates infamously stated that America's Al-Udeid base . HMS OCEAN, Persian Gulf Over the course of five days, medical personnel from the 379th Expeditionary Medical Operations Squadron and Royal Navy worked together to test their capabilities during coalition exercise Azraq Serpent, Jan. 23 - 27. Fast forward to 2003, when groundwork began for the first permanent facilities at Al Udeid. Posted by People Of The Deid onWednesday, February 17, 2016. Basic Training to Al Udeid: Two Air Force careers reunited after 21 years . The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing leads the way on installation upgrades here. , spokeswoman for the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, told Air Force Times on Feb. 18. The United States would like to reiterate its profound thanks to Qatar for its unparalleled support in hosting the U.S. and other Coalition forces at Al-Udeid Air Force Base.. Under a December 2013 agreement, the US will continue operating the base through at least 2024. Its something were going to watch, not just there but every other temporary safe haven that were operating from. Furthermore, Qatar is home to Al Udeid Air Base, which is the largest US military base in the Middle East. pic.twitter.com/fnGmTpPDq1, (@GCOQatar) August 24, 2021. To sum it all up, one member says:"Instead of doubling down & putting up proper dorms & housing in the first decade of operation the leadership have limped the [sic] facilities along to the point of failure Hopefully this will force the hand of [C]ongress to open the purse strings & get the dorms in place before the 99 year lease ends. Where the Afghans are housed is a living hell. The Pentagon later on Tuesday acknowledged what had been some terrible conditions at the air base, according to Pentagon press secretary John Kirby. "When it comes to the time frame for evacuees remaining at Doha, our goal is to process them for onward destinations within a few days of arrival," the spokesperson said. "Not to mention, we just had multiple confirmed incidents of salmonella," one Air Force Times reader reported, calling the conditions, "pathetic and abysmal" forhis time at the base.In short, readers say, it's a base coined by the term, "Where morale goes to die." Kayla White) At night, it went. Mujahidsaid the crowds of desperate Afghans trying to get on evacuation flights at Kabul airport should return to their homes because the Taliban guarantee their security.. The air base in Doha, Qatar, where President Joe Biden's administration is housing thousands of Afghan refugees is riddled with squalid conditions that include feces, urine, sweltering heat and a rat infestation, according to a leaked email obtained from the U.S. Central Command. A US Central Command spokesperson later acknowledged it had been difficult keeping up with the flow of arrivals after tens of thousands fled Afghanistan in the wake of the Taliban takeover. Furthermore, the issue is still not being properly handled, the report said. Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets The HDP-L monthly entitlement decreases to a maximum payment of $100 when service members are authorized a concurrent payment of $225 for HFP or IDP. It may be 70 degrees this time of year outside Al Udeid Air Base, Ab Naklah, Qatar, but its the inside that has airmen and civilians complaining.Recent reports and social media posts suggest the installation has been plagued by black mold, broken shower and toilet facilities, accumulated dust or rainwater, flies in dispensaries, andother problems. The event name "Klean the Deid" paid homage to the origin of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing with the K that represented the unit when first established as a bombardment group in World War II. They are a continuous work in progress. The release has since been scrubbed from the Air Forces Central Commandwebpage, but resurfaced in the " Air Force amn/nco/snco" Facebook group, a community page for airmen to post about careers, aircraft and trending news. Afghanistan evacuations take on new urgency as deadline approaches, Biden plans to stick to August 31 Afghanistan withdrawal deadline. He also claimed there was no list of people they were targeting for helping the US during the war. William Urban, U.S. Central Command spokesman, told NBC News on Tuesday that capacity to provide essential humanitarian assistance to evacuees in Qatar has been rapidly built up, but it has been challenging to keep up with the flow.