U.S. Lt. Col. Nicholas Ervin Reunites With Afghan Evacuees at Task Force Holloman

Photo By Sgt. Jose Escamilla | U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Nicholas Ervin, assigned to Task Force Holloman, waits as Afghan evacuees unload the airplane, Oct. 25, 2021, at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The Department of Defense, through the U.S. Northern Command, and in support of the Department of State and Department of Homeland Security, is providing transportation, temporary housing, medical screening, and general support for at least 50,000 Afghan evacuees at suitable facilities, in permanent or temporary structures, as quickly as possible. This initiative provides Afghan evacuees essential support at secure locations outside Afghanistan. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jose Escamilla)  

HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, NEW MEXICO, UNITED STATES

10.25.2021

Story by Sgt. Jose Escamilla 

Operation Allies Welcome - Operation Allies Refuge   

Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico - Operation Allies Welcome began Aug. 2021, with a mission to support vulnerable Afghans, including those who worked alongside us in Afghanistan for the past two decades, as they safely resettle in the United States. For U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Nicholas Ervin and retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. David Hicks, this mission would bring an opportunity to reunite and help those they trained with under Train Advise Assist Command (TAAC) Air.

Years ago, the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan provided training, advice, and assistance for the Afghan security forces and institutions. The key to this mission was to help Afghan security forces and institutions develop the capacity to defend Afghanistan and protect its citizens. In 2016, Brig. Gen. David Hicks took command of TAAC-Air in support of Resolute Support Mission.

"We were pretty close when it came to our mission," said Hicks. "I enjoyed it... it gave me job satisfaction to watch them grow in confidence and capability," he added. During his time with TAAC-Air, Hicks said he saw a massive improvement in the capability of the Afghan pilots, even going beyond his time with the unit. He adds that the unit became more than just a fighting force, a valuable bond was formed between the air advisors and the Afghan pilots.

One of those air advisors was Lt. Col. Ervin, "They would be trained by us at Moody Air Force Base," said Ervin. "Then they would go back to Afghanistan, at which point, we would rotate into Afghanistan and continue their training," he added. The training became the building blocks of trust between the air advisors that would stay strong even beyond their time at TAAC-Air.

After the United States began to withdraw from Afghanistan, Hicks along with his team, established a nonprofit organization to assist the Afghan evacuees to come to the states and adapt to their new way of life. Hicks and Ervin along with many others came together to help the Afghan pilots and their families come to America.

Ervin was assigned to Task Force Holloman in support of Operation Allies Welcome which gave him an amazing opportunity to reunite with the Afghan pilots he trained. Here at Task Force Holloman, Afghan evacuees are flown into Holloman Air Force Base and processed before they are resettled across the United States. One of the flights carried two of the Afghan pilots who trained with Ervin, along with their families.

“It was pretty surreal to see them coming off the airplane,” said Ervin. “The circumstances are not great that this happened, though I believe most of them are very grateful that they’ve now made it here,” he added.

Operation Allies Welcome continues to assist Afghan evacuees to get resettled in the United States with the help of the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense.

• Date Taken: 10.25.2021
• Date Posted: 11.22.2021 18:10
• Story ID: 409471
• Location: HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, NEW MEXICO, US