Undocumented refugees. Update to this previous story.
Eight Afghan Air Force pilots graduated Friday morning from a program hosted by the 81st Fighter Squadron.
The graduation occurred a little more than a week after two Afghan air force maintenance trainees were reported missing from the base.
Maj. Gen. James Hecker, who presented the Afghan graduates with a plaque and certificate Friday, said there are no new updates on the missing men and Homeland Security is leading the investigation.
“There is no indications that the missing trainees will do any harm,” said Hecker. “It took 18 months just to get them clearance to come in.”
Moody was selected in August 2014 to serve as a training location for the Afghan A-29 pilots and maintenance crews. Thirty Afghan pilots will be trained during the next four years at Moody.
The A-29 is a multi-role, fixed-wing aircraft that will provide the Afghan air force with an indigenous air-to-ground capability and aerial reconnaissance capabilities to support the country’s counterinsurgency operations.
The U.S. Air Force is purchasing these aircraft for the Afghan air force on behalf of Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan using DoD’s Afghanistan Security Forces Fund appropriation, according to information provided by Moody Air Force Base.