Utah National Guard delivering humanitarian aid to Nepal

Members of the Utah Air National Guard’s 151st Air Refueling Wing on Tuesday loaded lifesaving equipment and humanitarian COVID-19 supplies bound for Kathmandu, Nepal, aboard a KC-135 at Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base in Salt Lake City.

The donations will now be transported by members of the wing, where members will also provide a tour of the KC-135 plane and participate in a professional exchange on firefighting with the Nepali army. The donations will target needs identified by Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population and provide assistance at a critical time.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, the United States has stood by Nepal and assisted in its effort to stop the devastation caused by COVID-19. Today is yet another example of our ongoing support to help Nepal in a time of need,” Randy Berry, the U.S. ambassador to Nepal, said in a statement.

The donations from Non-Resident Nepali Association, Direct Relief and India COVID SOS, along with doTERRA Essential Oils, will be distributed to citizens most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It took a lot of dedication and hard work from multiple partners at the local and national level to make this mission possible,” Maj. Gen. Michael Turley, adjutant general of the Utah National Guard, said in a statement. “My hope is that our support will preserve lives, provide relief, and engender trust with the Nepalese people.”

Members of the Utah Air National Guard’s 151st Air Refueling Wing load equipment and supplies to assist Nepal’s COVID-19 response on a KC-135 at Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021.

Equipment and supplies to assist Nepal’s COVID-19 response is seen from the cockpit of a KC-135 before it it is loaded at Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021.

A member of the Utah Air National Guard’s 151st Air Refueling Wing loads equipment and supplies to assist Nepal’s COVID-19 response on a KC-135 at Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021.

Photo of the Day: Utah National Guard delivering humanitarian aid to Nepal