A visit to Camp Atterbury to meet Afghan refugees, see operations

EDINBURGH, Ind. (WISH) — For the archetypal time, Camp Atterbury connected Thursday opened to country journalists.

The circuit lasted astir fractional a twelve hours, covered a batch of ground, and highlighted the challenges galore connected the subject field face.

For galore Afghan refugees, Camp Atterbury is an important commencement to starting a caller beingness successful America. Already for many, it’s meant giving commencement and getting married. For astir
7,000 people, it’s not cleanable but, considering this determination for galore meant beingness oregon death, it works.

Sulam Akbarzada and his household escaped Afghanistan. He summed up wherefore helium left: “Because my father-in-law works with the service and it was the astir unsafe was for her. Because the household of service radical were not harmless successful Afghanistan.”

Akbarzada and his woman said that virtually conscionable earlier their wedding ceremonial successful Afghanistan, the Taliban converged connected the city, forcing them to cancel.

Two weeks later, they made their mode to the airport, got connected a level and yet made it to America.

“Put america anyplace they want. I volition conscionable beryllium successful peace. That’s each I want.”

Safety is what Camp Atterbury officials said Afghan guests besides experience. There’s a uniformity successful buildings and operations. That’s acknowledgment to months of practice, taste grooming and feedback. New arrivals present rapidly determination done the intake process and wellness screenings.

“We’ve fixed truthful acold astir 46,000 vaccinations,” said 1 of the Navy representatives during the tour.

Eventually, refugees were assigned to barracks, which person go somewhat of a community. Clothes are near to dry, families stitchery outside, and children play, often with soldiers.

“The radical helium told maine if it was a bully area, oregon no. Whether we needed to go,” said Sgt. 1st Class Richard Hernandez of the interpreter helium worked with portion deployed successful Afghanistan successful 2012.

He unexpectedly saw the interpreter helium worked with successful 2012 exit 1 of the archetypal buses astatine Camp Atterbury. So, Hernandez said, being present for Operation Allies Welcome isn’t work; it’s appreciation. “Soldiers successful my portion came location harmless due to the fact that helium looked retired for america arsenic we looked retired for him.”

The guests volition acquisition extended inheritance testing, fingerprinting earlier getting enactment authorization, and being resettled. Where they’ll spell isn’t clear, but they tin hope.

“I privation to spell to San Diego,” Akbarzada said and past laughed.

Representatives accidental considering Camp Atterbury was utilized arsenic a prisoner-of-war campy successful World War II, it’s large to spot it arsenic a determination for radical to commencement disconnected their caller lives successful America.