Greetings!   

Many have written asking if we will be sending a shipment to Afghanistan this year. On the 27th of July I sent an application for approval of what would be our eleventh annual shipment to Afghanistan through the Denton program, fully expecting to have received approval by now. I recently learned that since June there has been a debate within the Department of Defense (DOD) regarding transportation of humanitarian aid originating from NGOs (Non Government Organizations). As a consequence no Denton humanitarian shipments have been made since June. 

A cost cutting regulation was issued in June that lawyers within the DOD argue was not intended to include the Denton program. They argue the regulation was not intended to apply to shipments that don't cost anything. Denton shipments fly on a space availability basis. They are loaded onto planes that are already flying to where shipments need to go. Sure, there may be a minimal increase in the cost of fuel due to the added weight. But, it certainly wouldn't come close to outweighing the value added by humanitarian aid shipments. 

We transport soldiers, guns and munitions to Afghanistan and have for ten years. Surely, when there is room we can include humanitarian aid. 

 

You still have porch privileges but try not to exercise them right now. Why? A picture is worth a thousand words.