Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations

Welcome to the sixtieth episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit podcast! 

I've been reluctant to discuss current events but felt this was a good topic since the US Military has accomplished four Non-Combatant Evacuations or NEOs from four US Embassies in the last three years; Afghanistan, Ukraine, Belarus, and as of last week Khartoum Sudan. Instructing at the Joint Forces Staff College I taught US and International students Humanitarian Operations and we did an exercise on NEOs. This episode explains why NEOs are one of the most intense and potentially dangerous missions the US military and often our allies get involved with. When a US Ambassador calls saying get us out, NEOs are how we do it.

This episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit podcast is supported by Wall Pilot, custom aviation art for the walls of your home, office, or hanger. These are detailed and exhaustively researched profile graphics printed on vinyl of your favorite airplanes you can peel off and stick on any flat surface. Go look at the 129 Ready-to-Print profiles or let us custom draw your favorite aircraft with your name, tail codes, and weapons load on the plane. We also do unit patches that are weather-resistant and stick on the windows of your vehicles.

The Lockheed C-130 has been involved in numerous NEOs and this C-130J from Little Rock AFB represents the current US Air Force version of the Hercules.

The C-17 Globemaster II was the workhorse of the withdrawal from Afghanistan. This Charleston AFB C-17A was one of the last US Air Force aircraft to leave the country with 825 people on the cargo floor!

The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper drone is the mainstay of the US Air Force drone program. This MQ-9 Reaper flies with the 867th Attack Squadron out of Creech AFB near Indian Springs Nevada. 

Thanks for downloading and listening to this sixtieth episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit podcast. This and previous episodes of the Lessons from the Cockpit podcast can be found on my website at markhasara.com under the Podcast Pulldown menu.

Thanks again for listening and we'll talk to you next week!