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6 UCW SEPTEMBER 8-14, 2021 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, held a Pentagon press conference Sept. 1 and shared their thoughts re- garding America's longest war, which ended Aug. 30 with the last military aircraft evacuation flying out of Kabul, Afghanistan. Austin said his heart is with the families and loved ones killed in the Aug. 26 suicide attack at the Hamid Karzai International Airport. irteen U.S. service members were killed, 22 wounded and over 100 Afghan evacu- ees were killed or wounded. e secretary also said he remem- bers the 2,461 service members who were killed and the more than 20,000 wounded since the U.S. entered Af- ghanistan in October 2001, days after the 9/11 attacks. Also, thousands of contractors were killed or wounded during that 20-year period, he said, along with tens of thousands of Afghan soldiers and police officers, along with coalition partners. "Now, we have just concluded the largest air evacuation of civilians in American history. It was heroic. It was historic. And I hope that all Ameri- cans will unite to thank our service members for their courage and their compassion. ey were operating in an immensely dangerous and dy- namic environment. But our troops were tireless, fearless and selfless. Our commanders never flinched. And our allies and partners were extraordi- nary," said Austin. e United States evacuated some 6,000 American citizens and more than 124,000 Afghan civilians. Austin said he's proud of the way that military communities have wel- comed the Afghan evacuees, many of whom fought alongside the Ameri- cans. "ey and their families have more than earned their places in the land of the free and the home of the brave." e secretary, who led troops in Afghanistan, said he's proud of those who served there, but that he respects the views shared by veterans regard- ing the war. "I've heard strong views from many sides in recent days. And that's vital. at's democracy. at's America." Milley, who also led troops in Afghanistan, said America and the department will learn from the war. "We're going to learn from this experi- ence as a military. How we got to this moment in Afghanistan will be ana- lyzed and studied for years to come. And we in the military will approach this with humility, transparency and candor. ere are many tactical, operational and strategic lessons to be learned." e general also touched on the strong feelings people — veterans, especially — have had. "ese have been incredibly emotional and trying days. Indeed, years. We're all con- flicted with feelings of pain and anger, sorrow and sadness, combined with pride and resilience." Regarding the fallen and others who made it home alive, he said: "One thing I am certain of. For any soldier, sailor, airman, Marine, and their family, your service mattered." Westwood & Fort Bragg Debbie and Steve Milburn, Owners/Operators L O C A L V E T E R A N O W N E D B U S I N E S S Westwood: 439 Westwood Shopping Center 910.860.1220 | theupsstorelocal.com/2974 Fort Bragg: Fort Bragg Mini-Mall 910.436.7877 | theupsstorelocal.com/4787 AND MUCH MORE! • Signs • Banners • Business Cards • Acrylic Photos • Photo Stickers • Digital & Wide Format Printing • Notary Services • UPS/USPS Shipping • Mailbox Solutions • Packaging Material/Supplies • Copies/Prints • Binding/Laminating • Military, AAA, & AARP discounts • Magnets • Custom Puzzles Print/Sign Shop ANYTHING! We Print, Pack & Ship! NEWS Austin, Milley honor courage, sacrifice of veterans by DAVID VERGUN DAVID VERGUN, Department of Defense News. COMMENTS? Editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. 910-484-6200. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark A. Milley brief media during a press briefing held at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Sept. 1. (U.S. Air Force photo by Brittany A. Chase)