U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 10th Mountain Division stand security at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, August 15. U.S. Marine Corps / Sgt. Isaiah Campbell
The Army Brief: Soldiers secure Kabul airport; Veterans struggle; 3D-printed barracks; and more...
Welcome to The Army Brief, a weekly look at the news and ideas shaping the service’s future.
Soldiers arrive at Kabul Airport. The U.S. is trying to evacuate between 5,000 to 9,000 people per day from Kabul but only about 2,000 have left in the last 24 hours, Defense One reports. Soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division and the 82nd Airborne Division are on the ground securing the airport’s perimeter and the Pentagon could send as many as 6,000 troops to help with the evacuation efforts.
Veterans struggling with Taliban takeover. Advocates are working to get resources and help to veterans and their families due to concern about the effects the deteriorating news out of Afghanistan is having on them, Defense One reports. Steve Schwab, the CEO of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, said they are seeing a growing concern from caregivers who say their veteran is suffering from anxiety and depression over the past few days.
Leaders voice support. Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville and Sgt. Major of the Army Michael Gringston shared their support for Afghanistan veterans and asked that they reach out to their battle buddies and use resources if they need help.
3D-printed barracks. A new National Guard barracks building in Texas is the largest 3D-printed structure in North America, Defense One reports. The military is looking to 3D-printing with concrete as a simpler way to build infrastructure in places where sending supplies is more difficult.
Sign up to get The Army Brief every Friday morning from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. On Aug. 18, 1951, the Battle of Bloody Ridge began during the Korean War. The 15th Field Artillery Battalion fired a record 14,425 rounds in 24 hours.
From Defense One
More Seats Than Passengers: Paperwork, Taliban Slow Afghanistan Evacuation // Tara Copp, Jacqueline Feldscher: But the pace is picking up. Some 6,000 'will soon board planes,' a State Department spokesman said.
Taiwan Wants Paladins. Congress Should Say No // Brian Davis, Michael Hunzeker : Taipei’s only hope for an effective defense is not armor but asymmetry.
Trump’s Pledge to Exit Afghanistan Was a Ruse, His Final SecDef Says // Patrick Tucker: Chris Miller now says talk of a full withdrawal was a “play” to convince a Taliban-led government to keep U.S. counterterrorism forces.