SOUTHWEST ASIA -- U.S. Air Force members from the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing loaded pallets of non-lethal aid on to a C-17 aircraft early April 30 at an undisclosed airbase in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
The cargo was bound for Syrian refugees displaced from their homes during the ongoing fighting in their country.
The American airmen, deployed to a U.S. ally nation, loaded the Air Mobility Command C-17 Globemaster III, based out Dover Air Force Base, Del., with Halal meals and medical aid. The mission demonstrated the flexibility and range of the C-17, which is capable of rapid delivery of all types of cargo supporting humanitarian missions worldwide.
"We're proud to be a part of helping people in need," said Lt. Col. Tammy McElhaney, 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron commander from Lakeland, Fla. "The Air Force always stands ready to support our nation's priorities anywhere at any time.
The United States has provided $385 million in humanitarian assistance to date, which has helped 2.4 million people inside Syria and hundreds of thousands of refugees in neighboring countries. President Barack Obama signed a Presidential Determination April 11 directing the use of up to $10 million in nonlethal U.S. Government commodities and services to those affected by the ongoing crisis inside Syria.