Two instructor pilots from the 81st Fighter Squadron out of Moody Air Force Base, Ga., and an Afghan pilot walk to several A-29B Super Tucanos to prepare for high altitude training Sept. 16, 2015, at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. Nine Afghan pilots have been training with the 81st FS on the aircraft since January in Georgia.

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE (Tribune News Service) — Moody Air Force Base officials are not releasing the names or photographs of two missing Afghan trainees.

Capt. Korey Fratini said Wednesday the decision to not release the names is a U.S. Air Force decision and not one that has been made by the base commander.

“It is a matter of policy,” Fratini told The Valdosta Daily Times.

The Air Force has maintained a policy of not releasing the names or images of any Afghan personnel in the interest of their personal safety and the safety of their families back in Afghanistan, the captain said.

Fratini said the fact the two men are missing and being sought by federal and local law-enforcement agencies has not changed the military’s position.

Local law-enforcement agencies, including the Valdosta Police Department, Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and the Lanier County Sheriff’s Office, have photos and identifying information, Fratini said.

Fratini confirmed that Moody officials did release the images to those agencies, but said only in an “official law-enforcement capacity.”

Images have circulated on social media with claims they came from the Lanier County public school system.

Fratini emphasized that Moody officials did not share the photos with the school system and that photographs were only sent to law enforcement.

A Lanier County school official confirmed sending out an email with the images in hopes of finding the men, and also said the Air Force contacted school officials after the email had been sent telling them to stop sharing the information.

The captain said the concerns of The Valdosta Daily Times regarding the public’s right and need to know as much information as possible has been shared up the chain of command.

The Valdosta Daily Times has requested the release of the photographs from the Air Force, the police department and sheriff’s office. The newspaper’s position is that the images should be made public.

Local law-enforcement agencies have said it is their position any photographs or identifying information should come from the Air Force and not from local agencies.

The two Afghan air force maintenance trainees went missing, and did not report for duty Monday morning at their regularly scheduled maintenance training, according to officials at MAFB.

In a prepared statement issued Tuesday afternoon, an Air Force spokesman said the two men were assigned to the 81st Fighter Squadron and “do not pose any apparent threat,” but called for anyone with information about the men’s location to contact law enforcement.

The Air Force announced in August 2014 Moody Air Force Base was selected as the stateside training location for Afghan A-29 pilots and maintainers.

Moody was tapped to support 20 A-29 aircraft, 17 USAF instructor pilots, and 24 maintenance and support personnel to train a total of 30 Afghan pilots and 90 Afghan maintainers during the next four years, Staff Sgt. Eric Summers said at the time.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the men can contact the Public Affairs Office at Moody AFB, (229) 257-4146 or the Command Post, (229) 257-3501 outside of normal duty hours, or contact local law enforcement.

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