Authorities search for 2 Afghan trainees missing from Moody Air Base in Georgia
Published 4:40 pm Wednesday, December 9, 2015
- U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jeffrey Hogan, left, 81st Fighter Squadron commander, speaks to an Afghan Air Force student pilot from the 81st FS, before the first Afghan ‘in seat’ flight in an A-29 Super Tucano March 5, 2015, at Moody Air Force Base.
VALDOSTA, Ga. – Two Afghan nationals undergoing aircraft maintenance training at Moody Air Force Base went missing only days before they were scheduled to return home, base officials reported Wednesday.
A widespread search was underway but the Air Force declined to release the names or photos of the men, saying they did not want to jeopardize their safety or that of their families in Afghanistan.
Base officials said the missing men “do not pose any apparent threat.” But they did not say why that’s the case. They did not return to the base Monday morning after a weekend away. They were scheduled to complete their training Dec. 18 and return to Afghanistan
It is not the first time foreign military personnel visiting or training in the U.S. have walked away. The New York Times reported 17 Afghan soldiers disappeared from Lackland Air Force base in San Antonio, Texas, in 2006. They were later found and said they did not want to return home because of the dire conditions there.
The decision to withhold the names and photos of the missing Afghans was based on U.S. Air Force policy, even though the men are being sought by civilian police, Capt. Korey Fratini told the Valdosta Daily Times.
Local law-enforcement agencies, including the Valdosta Police Department, Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and the Lanier County Sheriff’s Office, have photos and identifying information, said Fratini. He said they were told not to release them to the public.
However, the identities and photographs from driver’s licenses of the missing Afghans circulated on social media, with claims they came from the Lanier County public school system.
A school official confirmed sending out an email with the images in hopes of finding the men, and also said the Air Force contacted school officials after the email had been sent telling them to stop sharing the information.
The Valdosta Daily Times requested release of the photographs from the Air Force, the police department and sheriff’s office to aid in the search of the missing men.
The missing men were among nine Afghan pilots and 12 maintenance personnel training on American military planes used by the Afghanistan Air Force. The training program had been underway for most of the year.
