Pentagon confirms Fort Bliss to house evacuated Afghanis

FORT BLISS, Texas -- Fort Bliss is among two U.S. military bases that are set to be used by the Defense Department to house thousands of evacuated Afghan refugees.

The other installation to be utilized will be Fort McCoy in Wisconsin.

Pentagon officials confirmed during a briefing Monday afternoon that preparations at the two facilities were underway.

“We want to have capacity to get up to several thousand immediately, and want to be prepared for potential of tens of thousands,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby explained. “Bliss and McCoy have capability right now – what’s advantageous is with a bit of work, it could increase in short order.”

Defense officials said they plan to relocate 22,000 fleeing Afghanis to the U.S.