![Afghan evacuees on a South Jersey military base have 'extreme amount of optimism' about what's next, war veteran says Afghan evacuees on a South Jersey military base have 'extreme amount of optimism' about what's next, war veteran says](https://www.inquirer.com/resizer/GIGPOSt_1hJjTcshpcxwOAR_kzo=/760x507/smart/filters:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/J2WPRUXQGBFK3PIOLRP6N74R2M.jpg)
Afghan evacuees on a South Jersey military base have 'extreme amount of optimism' about what's next, war veteran says
![Sgt. Jennifer Irene, left, and Pfc. Leslie Alvarado, New Jersey Army National Guard, choose Christmas trees during the annual Christmas Trees for New Jersey Military Families event at the Joint Military and Sgt. Jennifer Irene, left, and Pfc. Leslie Alvarado, New Jersey Army National Guard, choose Christmas trees during the annual Christmas Trees for New Jersey Military Families event at the Joint Military and](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/MXPB2G/sgt-jennifer-irene-left-and-pfc-leslie-alvarado-new-jersey-army-national-guard-choose-christmas-trees-during-the-annual-christmas-trees-for-new-jersey-military-families-event-at-the-joint-military-and-family-assistance-center-bordentown-nj-nov-30-2016-new-jersey-christmas-tree-growers-donated-100-trees-which-were-distributed-to-new-jersey-national-guard-soldiers-and-airmen-at-the-center-as-well-as-at-three-armories-across-the-state-us-air-national-guard-photo-by-master-sgt-mark-c-olsenreleased-MXPB2G.jpg)
Sgt. Jennifer Irene, left, and Pfc. Leslie Alvarado, New Jersey Army National Guard, choose Christmas trees during the annual Christmas Trees for New Jersey Military Families event at the Joint Military and
![File:Nearly 140 U.S. Soldiers with the 508th Military Police Company, New Jersey Army National Guard are reunited with family and friends at the New Jersey National Guard Armory in Lawrenceville, N.J., June File:Nearly 140 U.S. Soldiers with the 508th Military Police Company, New Jersey Army National Guard are reunited with family and friends at the New Jersey National Guard Armory in Lawrenceville, N.J., June](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Nearly_140_U.S._Soldiers_with_the_508th_Military_Police_Company%2C_New_Jersey_Army_National_Guard_are_reunited_with_family_and_friends_at_the_New_Jersey_National_Guard_Armory_in_Lawrenceville%2C_N.J.%2C_June_6%2C_2013_130606-Z-AL508-012.jpg/1280px-thumbnail.jpg)