Sarah Motter | WIBW

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Senator Jerry Moran has helped to introduce a resolution that would honor those who helped evacuate those in Afghanistan as the country fell to the Taliban.

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) says he and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), both members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, introduced a resolution to honor the veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces and civilian volunteers who helped evacuations during the U.S.’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.

Moran noted that Afghanistan fell to the Taliban on Aug. 15, which resulted in a humanitarian and global security crisis. In the months that followed, he said thousands of Americans, Afghans and foreign nationals sought refuge from the Taliban.

“Our military personnel worked tirelessly to coordinate flights in and out of Kabul, but another force behind these efforts lies with groups of veteran volunteers who refused to leave their Afghan partners behind,” said Sen. Moran, ranking member of SVAC. “These volunteer veteran groups shared information, drafted flight manifests and coordinated food and supplies to be delivered to families who were in hiding. Without these volunteers, many Afghan men, women and children would have suffered greatly or lost their life. Today, we offer this resolution to officially recognize and thank the veteran volunteers for their efforts to save their Afghan partners from the clutches of the Taliban.”

Moran said the U.S. evacuation led to the greatest military airlift operation since World War II and the death of 13 American service members.

“The heroic actions of our nation’s veterans and civilian volunteers saved the lives of countless Afghan allies,” said Sen. Blumenthal. “For two decades, these essential translators, interpreters, and guards for the U.S. mission provided our soldiers and diplomats with invaluable support. As they sought refuge from assured torture and death at the hands of the Taliban, Americans back home stepped up to protect the allies that had once protected them. This resolution is a tribute to these veterans and volunteers, and the thousands of Afghan allies still alive today because of their relentless work.”

The Senators noted that the resolution named and honored 26 veteran groups - many of which included civilian volunteers - who used their resources to help evacuate Afghan refugees out of the country.

To read the full resolution, click HERE.