Navy families evacuated from Naval Support Activity Bahrain cannot return to retrieve personal belongings, but service members outside Bahrain are able to designate someone to do it on their behalf, according to the Navy.
Over six months after the evacuation of approximately 1,300 dependents from NSA Bahrain, some families remain separated from household goods, vehicles and pets that were left behind.
The Navy says family members and non-essential personnel who remain outside Bahrain have not been authorized to return to retrieve personal property because of ongoing security concerns.
“Service members and affiliated civilians are responsible for initiating the household goods move process from temporary safe havens and from Bahrain with their chain of command,” a Navy spokesperson told Military Times. “Service members currently located in Bahrain can ship their household goods and vehicles in person, and those who are located outside Bahrain can designate a representative to act on their behalf.”
One Bahrain-based sailor, who was granted anonymity due to concerns of reprisal, said the process remains frustrating and unclear.
An Aug. 31 town hall hosted by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, during which Caudle said troops would not be returning to Bahrain “anytime soon,” did little to assuage concerns over how household goods would be processed, the sailor told Military Times.
Another sailor, who also requested to withhold their identity, said their uniforms were among personal items destroyed during the events that led to the evacuation.
Months later, that sailor still has not been able to replace them. An insurance company has requested additional confirmation from the sailor’s commanding officer, the service member said, despite a Navy memorandum documenting the destruction, further delaying replacement uniforms.
“It’s just another expense I cannot afford right now, and it’s frustrating having to wait for the funds to get what I need,” the sailor told Military Times.
For some families, the displacement has meant leaving behind pets.
One military spouse said the family did not have time to gather everything before leaving Bahrain. The family’s Great Dane could not be accommodated during the evacuation, so they left the dog with locals they barely knew.
“I don’t know if we’ll ever get him back,” the Navy spouse told Military Times. “I don’t know what to tell my kids, but it’s been really hard on all of us.”
The Navy said it continues to provide affected service members, families and civilian personnel with “timely information, individual case management and relocation support.”
Before the Aug. 31 town hall, the Navy sent families a newsletter on May 13 from Naval Amphibious Force, Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, which said, “At the minimum, Service Members will have the opportunity to return to Bahrain to pack out their HHG.”
A separate Navy FAQ, meanwhile, said the service was still working out what would happen to personal property left there. It noted that undelivered household-goods shipments would be placed in government storage pending an “all clear.”
Families who remain unauthorized to return to Bahrain must establish and report a designated place by Nov. 30 to secure relocation, housing and separation entitlements, a Navy spokesperson told Military Times.
The Navy has requested data on the number of household-goods moves involving affected families and said it will provide those figures if they become available.
Natalie Oliverio is an independent journalist and Navy veteran who covers military and veterans’ issues. Drawing on her experience as a talent executive and mentor, she writes about the policies, people and programs shaping the military community.
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