The evacuation of American citizens on U.S. military flights began on January 13 and did not end until the resumption of commercial flights on February 19. This was an around the clock effort with officers working twelve hour shifts to help American citizens go home. Many of the evacuees were minor children or adoptees traveling to join their parents in the U.S. Over 16,400 Americans were able to leave Haiti in one of the largest evacuations ever managed by the U.S. Department of State. This effort required an immense amount of assistance from other U.S. embassies and consulates around the world.

Jeff Lodinsky served as temporary chief of the Embassy Port-au-Prince Consular Section and worked with the Department of State in Washington to ensure coordination between the Embassy and Washington. Lynette Behnke worked directly with American citizens who were being evacuated from Haiti via the U.S. Air Force. According to Jeff Lodinsky, working in Haiti was “one of the most emotionally difficult yet personally satisfying” duties he has had in his 18-year career. Lynette Behnke also was moved to return to Port-au-Prince, not only to assist American citizens there but also to provide direct aid and support to her Haitian friends and co-workers with whom she worked during her tour at the Embassy in Haiti from October 2006 to October 2008."

Source: U.S. Embassy Budapest

Photo: (Loading a C-17 with evacuees. Embassy photo by Lynette Behnke)