Reflections on a humanitarian mission 20 years later: Operation Babylift

Humanitarian missions command a dominant share of military operations in the current world situation. It is imperative that the lessons learned from such missions include the personal and personnel costs of such missions if those individuals who will participate in such operations are to be prepared for the uncertainties and the emotional pain entailed in these missions. Sharing a personal experience of participation in one such mission--Operation Babylift--can provide an avenue for learning about the costs of such missions and indicating ways in which individuals can prepare themselves before actually participating in such missions.