Sgt. Breanna Jessop, a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, ran a makeshift orphanage in Afghanistan during the evacuation of American forces and vulnerable citizens. The orphanage cared for 400 unaccompanied minors, ranging in age from seven days to 17 years old. Jessop and her fellow soldiers created the orphanage when they encountered children who had been separated from their parents. They wanted to provide a sense of safety, warmth, and fun for the children.
They brought in a radio for dance parties and secured toys and coloring books to keep the children happy. Her efforts to protect the well-being and dignity of the children earned her the title of Soldier of the Year by the United Service Organizations (USO).
Jessop saw a group of children with "U.S.A." written on their hands, indicating their parents' desperate desire to get them to a safer place. Before running the orphanage, Jessop procured basic hygiene items for 4,000 U.S.