When Afghanistan’s capital city fell back under the control of the Taliban in 2021, Australian forces were among those called on to urgently evacuate its citizens and approve the departure of foreign nationals from the Kabul airport.
Airlifts needed to be coordinated in what was now a hostile territory, and bus convoys were required to reach stranded Australians.
A number of Australian military personnel involved in the evacuation of more than 4,000 people from Afghanistan have now been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
In this handout provided by the Australian Department of Defence, Afghanistan evacuees board a flight to Australia from the Australian Defence Force’s main operating base in the Middle East region. (LACW Jacqueline Forrester/Australian Department of Defence via Getty Images)
Six have been awarded a Distinguished Service Medal (DSM), while another eight have been given the Commendation for Distinguished Service….