Recently, a group of freed Americans, their families, and officials gathered at a large aircraft hangar at the joint base in San Antonio. Among them was US hostage envoy Roger Carstens, who flew with the returnees and their families from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to Texas. The group posed for photos, including with the Hostage and Wrongful Detainee flag.
Paul Whelan, a former US Marine who spent nearly six years in Russian prisons, pointed at the tally marks on the flag, symbolizing their time in captivity. Carstens welcomed the group, stating that the next phase of their journey was beginning.
