MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Lt. Michelle Sybouts, a native of Spokane, Washington, assigned to Carrier Strike Group 5 (CSG 5) supports Task Force 58 and Operation Allies Refuge (OAR) aboard USS Ronald Reagan.
The Department of State, the lead federal agency for this operation, activated the Afghanistan Coordination Task Force on July 19, 2021, and requested the Department of Defense provide support for up to 3,500 Afghan special immigrant applicants.
On Sept. 14, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) stood down a task force it established in August to temporarily assist the safe evacuation of personnel from Afghanistan.
Task Force 58 helped facilitate the safe transit of more than 7,000 U.S. citizens and evacuees traveling from Afghanistan through Bahrain. The task force included more than 1,400 U.S. and coalition personnel from various units operating in the 5th Fleet area of operations.
U.S. service members worked alongside U.S. Embassy and Bahraini counterparts to provide travelers with meals, short-term lodging and medical services around the clock before departing. NAVCENT established the task force Aug. 19 and immediately began constructing temporary processing and lodging facilities.
Sybouts, who joined the Navy 10 years ago is proud to participate in OAR.
“Providing support to OAR means I get to be a part of history,” said Sybouts. “I supported check-in and departure of evacuees, reviewed identification documents with families and managed manifesting and departure for flights to the United States.”
Sybouts has enjoyed being a part of something so important.
“I walked the same family that I had checked in from a C-17 the day prior to a U.S. bound aircraft,” said Sybouts. “After hearing their story, it was a relief to see them make it safely to the U.S.”
According to Navy officials, USS Ronald Reagan is the flagship for Carrier Strike Group 5 and is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points.
As a member of the U.S. Navy, Sybouts, as well as other sailors, know they are a part of a service tradition providing unforgettable experiences through leadership development, world affairs and humanitarian assistance. Their efforts will have a lasting effect around the globe and for generations of sailors who will follow.
“While supporting OAR, our sailors demonstrated empathy in the face of heartbreaking devastation,” added Sybouts. “This helped to ease the suffering of evacuees at the start of a long and uncertain journey.”