Airmen and soldiers serving with the Methar Lam Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan distributed about a ton of school supplies to two Afghan schools. The supplies, some of which came from non-profit groups in the US, included backpacks, teacher’s kits, notebooks, pens, pencils, and soccer balls. According to a PRT news release, the students were eager to get the supplies and equally eager to talk with the US forces.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.