The Foreign Service Journal, March 2022

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2022 33 we helped them board an evacuation flight only two days before the operation concluded. I met this family again at the Doha evacuation center to see them onward to Dulles International Airport, where they were connected with MED’s principal deputy chief medical officer, Dr. Rick Otto, who guided them to their destination in California. They were also gifted travel money personally from our regional medical manager. I have never been so proud to be a part of the MED family. I also recall one moment during an interaction between a consular officer and an evacuee when the officer broke down in tears at the plight of many Afghan families having to be sepa- rated. My deep respect goes to these brave officers who served tirelessly at the HKIA perimeter gates under impossibly stressful conditions to process potential evacuees. They did so with the utmost compassion, care and professionalism. These heroes of this unprecedented operation must not be overlooked. Many have asked about my brief deployment to Kabul during the evacuations, and the most fitting description of the experi- ence is that it was chaotic, surreal, tragic and inspiring—all at the same time. Nevertheless, the single, enduring memory will be the people—both Afghans and non-Afghans—who gave the best of themselves on both sides of the perimeter walls at HKIA dur- ing those heart-wrenching weeks in August. Bob Y. Shim, M.D., is a State Department regional medical officer currently serving his first tour in Riyadh. He was temporarily deployed by the Bureau of Medical Services (MED) to Kabul in August 2021 to provide medical support for State Department personnel during the evacuations at Hamid Karzai International Airport. At Hamid Karzai International Airport, a view through the East Gate where belongings were discarded. The MED team deployed to Kabul for the evacuations. From left to right: a U.S. consular officer; Christopher Casey (MP, U.S. Embassy Bishkek); Karl Field (MP, MED Foreign Programs); Bob Shim (RMO, U.S. Embassy Riyadh). BOBSHIM COURTESYOFBOBSHIM to treating minor injuries and intestinal upset—helped alleviate stress and increase morale in intangible ways and support the overall mission. Though we had initially anticipated some sort of humanitar- ian component to our mission, our resources were very limited. As it happened, the impact of our support to State person- nel was much more significant than anything we could have remotely achieved attempting to provide care for evacuees. Some memories from the chaos I will not soon forget. The first is assisting a Kabul Health Unit locally employed staff doc- tor and his family who were stuck outside the airport gates. After they had been unable to find a way into the airport for days and had been held for hours by the Taliban following the bombing,