With births and a magnificence salon, Afghan ‘friends’ rework U.S. base By Reuters

By Phil Stewart

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, New Jersey (Reuters) – It could possibly be the completely happy moments, like information of the 24 infants born right here or final weekend’s marriage ceremony. Or perhaps it is discuss of the trauma amongst evacuees or the Afghans choosing by way of garments on folding tables after dropping completely every thing.

However there is a sense that life’s occasions, in all of their complexity, are merely unfolding for the over 9,300 Afghan evacuees who’ve come to name this U.S. navy base in New Jersey residence over the previous month or so – and who could also be right here for a while.

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is one in all eight places in america internet hosting tens of 1000’s of Afghans who fled aboard U.S. evacuation flights when america exited Afghanistan final month after dropping the conflict to the Taliban. Attempting to make them really feel welcome, officers right here consult with the Afghans as their “friends.”

Indicators of the swelling logistical challenges are all over the place. Development crews push piles of gravel round and are including to the already huge expanse of white tents housing evacuees. Garments are draped throughout chain-link fences, presumably air-drying. Youngsters are all over the place.

Maybe unsurprisingly, unseen challenges are simply as daunting, significantly within the space of psychological well being.

“Everyone right here has been by way of a traumatic expertise fleeing Afghanistan,” mentioned one U.S. navy official, briefing U.S. Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin outdoors a women-only dormitory.

Austin was visiting on Monday as Liberty Village celebrated a significant milestone: Eleven Afghans from two households had been the primary to depart the bottom to be resettled inside america.

It was a small step, and an indication of how a lot work lies forward.

“I do know this isn’t straightforward,” Austin mentioned, as he thanked U.S. personnel. “I do know we got here collectively … in a really brief time period. However you may have achieved outstanding work.”

‘I’D LOVE TO BE A RESIDENT’

The Monday go to was the primary time reporters had been allowed into Liberty Village. The bottom has a historical past of aiding evacuees. In 1999, it acquired greater than 4,000 refugees fleeing the conflict in Kosovo.

When Afghans arrive, they’re given wristbands with distinctive identification numbers. Some had been fortunate sufficient to get locations in dormitories. Others are staying in huge tents with solely material privateness obstacles separating households.

The group surrounding the bottom has donated every thing from faculty provides to toys and prayer rugs. However the scale of donations initially overwhelmed navy personnel.

As Liberty Village expanded, it started common purchases of provides and inspired well-wishers to shift to digital present playing cards as an alternative of bodily donations for evacuees.

Not everybody received the memo. One native resident mentioned in a current city corridor occasion together with her congressman that she pulled into a set web site with donations and noticed “heaps and many open baggage sitting on the market within the rain.”

“I now have bins and bins of issues that I bought that I might love to provide,” she mentioned.

How lengthy Liberty Village will exist is unclear. U.S. authorities officers have arrange makeshift workplaces to fast-track paperwork for Afghans, shortening a generally years-long course of to weeks or months to permit their resettlement.

But it surely’s clear Liberty Village is bracing for the chilly climate forward, with extra evacuees attributable to arrive from U.S. bases abroad.

Afghans listed below are additionally settling in. A gaggle of Afghan ladies arrange a magnificence salon at Liberty Village that helped get the bride prepared for the marriage final weekend.

Again in Afghanistan, viral movies circulated exhibiting magnificence parlors portray over photos of ladies because the Taliban retook management. Through the Taliban’s 1996-2001 rule, they barred ladies from leaving residence and not using a male family member and shuttered colleges for ladies.

As Austin walked round Liberty Village throughout his Monday go to, he heard from two ladies who hoped to grow to be docs in america. They beamed with optimism.

“I might like to be a resident of America,” one in all them mentioned.

“You can be,” Austin replied.