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During the early weeks of the war with Iran, hundreds of U.S. sailors and their families were rushed out of Bahrain with only a duffel bag. As the war continues, many of these families are still living out of suitcases back in the U.S. The Navy is trying to figure out what's next for them. Steve Walsh with WHRO in Norfolk has this report.
STEVE WALSH, BYLINE: Shortly after the war with Iran started in late February, one Navy spouse was about to go back to Bahrain with her husband. Then they got word from the Navy.
UNIDENTIFIED NAVY SPOUSE: A day before we were supposed to leave to be stationed in Bahrain together, we were told we need to go somewhere else for a short period of time, and then here we are five months later.
WALSH: NPR has agreed to withhold their names. The Navy spouse is concerned about the potential impact on her husband's career. The two of them are now living out of three duffel bags.
UNIDENTIFIED NAVY SPOUSE: We were at one location for a while, and then, spur of the moment, sent to another location for what ended up being 10 weeks. So it's a lot of moving with very short notice and can't really unpack or own too much 'cause you never know when you're going to be going somewhere else.
WALSH: They're on what's called temporary duty status, so they aren't eligible for base housing or money for rent. American bases in the region remain targets for Iran. After a first story ran on NPR in April, the Navy conceded that at least 1,500 troops and their families had left the Navy base in Bahrain, which is home to the Navy's Fifth Fleet.
When military members and their families go overseas, they have to designate a place they would return in an emergency. Some evacuees remain at the place they designated. Others are still moving from base to base. Head of Fleet Forces, Admiral Karl Thomas, told NPR that the Navy hasn't released an overall plan, but reopening Bahrain to families seems unlikely in the near future.
KARL THOMAS: We're really trying to take each case individually and make sure those people are taken care of, and we understand what they want. But with things heating back up over there right now, it's not an option.
WALSH: Some came through Norfolk, Virginia. Hundreds have arrived in Tampa, home of CENTCOM. There, the organization Blue Star Families is helping make food deliveries. Families with young children are trying to enroll in schools. They may not have all of their records, says Executive Director Suzy Malloy.
SUZY MALLOY: When the kids first arrived, we gave them backpacks and school supplies because, you know, they left so quickly, they didn't think to grab all of what they needed to go back to school.
WALSH: Inge Michiels runs JetPet, which transports animals in and out of Bahrain, including for some military and civilian defense workers. She still lives in Bahrain and remembers when the war began.
INGE MICHIELS: The early days quite shocking, especially Bahrain is considered safe. It's a small island with friendly people. So when I woke up, I was literally blasted off my bed.
WALSH: People weren't prepared for the cost and paperwork involved in transporting pets out of the Middle East. Many had to leave their animals behind. Pets were left with neighbors or friends and still haven't left the country.
MICHIELS: A lot of people are in panic mode. And our team as well, we are going under that same stress where alarms go off and deprived sleep and uncertainty.
WALSH: The country is still under periodic attack. For most clients, all she can tell them to do is wait and see.
For NPR News, I'm Steve Walsh. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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