LOWNDES COUNTY, GA (WTXL) -- Two afghan air force students who were training at Moody Air Force base are missing, according to Air Force Officials.
"Two male Afghan air force students did not report for duty yesterday at their regular maintenance training at Moody AFB in Valdosta, Georgia. Both are assigned to the 81st Fighter Squadron. They have been at Moody since. February 2015 and were screened prior to their arrival in the United States more than a year ago. The students have trained alongside American counterparts for the entirety of 2015 and do not pose any apparent threat. There is a well-coordinated process among federal agencies to locate the individuals as quickly as possible and return them accordingly to the proper authorities to manage their present situation."
Moody Air Force Base was selected as a training site for Afghan pilots in 2014. It was one of three bases being considered for the A-29 Afghan Light Air Support Training Mission.
In an earlier story, WTXL spoke with Lt. Col. Jeff Hogan, Light Air Support training unit commander about the program.
Hogan says they students have been through heavy background checks.
"These Afghans are all personally invested in this mission and very well vetted through the government of Afghanistan through NATO Air Training Command," said Hogan. "They all to some degree have all suffered under the hands of the Taliban so I can tell you having talked to them personally, they are all motivated to get trained."
