Blackstone, Va. (Newsradiowrva.com) - Governor Ralph Northam, in a briefing with reporters, says the first Afghan refugees to be processed at Fort Pickett in Nottoway County will arrive Saturday. Northam says the Department of Defense just told Virginia Thursday the base, along with the Marine Base in Quantico, will be used to process refugees. The first Quantico arrivals will be on Sunday.
Afghan refugees have been going to Fort Lee in Prince George County for a few weeks. Commonwealth Catholic Charities says they have managed to settle families from Fort Lee in Newport News, Roanoke, and Richmond. The largest number have gone to Roanoke where there is a larger Afghan community.
Up until this point, Dulles Airport in Northern Virginia has been the only point of entry to the U.S. for refugees leaving Afghanistan.