Pentagon authorizes voluntary departure of military families from Middle East

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has authorized the voluntary departure of U.S. military dependents from locations across the Middle East, a major move as tensions spike across the region.

A U.S. defense official told Fox News on Wednesday: “The safety and security of our service members and their families remains our highest priority and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has authorized the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations across the CENTCOM AOR.”

The authorization affects U.S. bases throughout the CENTCOM area of responsibility, which includes key flashpoints like Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. 

It, however, mainly affects dependents who live in Bahrain near the U.S. Navy base. 

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Bahrain has a higher population of U.S. military dependents than other countries in the area.

No U.S. uniformed service members in the Middle East will be evacuating, two U.S. defense officials told Fox News.

While the Department of Defense (DOD) has not cited a specific threat, the move comes as Iran-backed militias increase activity and regional instability grows.

A U.S. official confirmed to Fox News that the head of U.S. Central Command, General Michael Kurilla, postponed a Thursday morning testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill due to rising tensions in the Middle East.

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“CENTCOM is working in close coordination with our Department of State counterparts, as well as our Allies and partners in the region to maintain a constant state of readiness to support any number of missions around the world at any time,” the official added.

While voluntary departures aren’t rare, they typically kick in when a security environment worsens. U.S. doctrine, such as JP 3‑68, explicitly provides for the voluntary departure of command-sponsored dependents at government expense whenever threats rise.

“Voluntary departure of command‑sponsored military dependents, nonessential DOD civilian employees and their families, families of essential DOD civilian employees, and DOD dependents schools’ staff and faculty to an announced safe haven is encouraged and authorized at government expense, with return also at government expense,” reads JP 3-68.