U.S. Soldiers evacuating Afghan Interpreter

My name is Shane Reed. I am a U.S. Army veteran who has deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. During my deployments we were provided local national interpreters who would not only accompany us during missions, but also eat, sleep, and sometimes just hangout with us when not on a mission. During my deployments, some interpreters would leave and never come back, others didn't work out with us and were released and sent to another unit. But one interpreter during one of my deployments to Afghanistan stood out from all of my previous interpreters. In fact, he was the only interpreter to stay with me for an entire deployment. I mention this because it showed this interpreter's dedication to the mission in Afghanistan. This interpreter risked his life and volunteered, just like every single U.S. soldier did in Afghanistan, to support Operation Enduring Freedom.

The outcome of Operation Enduring Freedom wasn't what we all hoped for. In 2001, the Taliban was the governing power in Afghanistan. And in 2021 when the U.S./NATO mission ended, the Taliban was once again the governing power. This put so many Afghans who wanted a better life and risked their safety to assist the U.S. and other NATO countries in defeating the Taliban, in immediate danger.

Since I returned to the U.S. after my last deployment to Afghanistan, I communicated frequently with my interpreter. Before the fall of the Afghan government, my interpreter was able to live a decent life. He was engaged, working, and living without much worry. Later, as parts of Afghanistan began to fall to the Taliban in 2021, my communication with my interpreter increased and we would communicate about the situation and his safety. We worked together to develop multiple plans to first get him and his family to safety in the capital of Kabul, and to eventually evacuate him out of Afghanistan. I began to start the Special Immigrant Visa for Afghans (SIV-A) application process and contacted old contacts at the State Department and U.S. Representatives to expedite the process. Before the Taliban entered Kabul, both my interpreter and I were feeling very optimistic about him and his family getting out of Afghanistan safely. But due to the quick fall of Kabul to the Taliban, our focus went from his evacuation to his immediate safety. We were able to get my interpreter to a safe house within Kabul. We debated sending him and his family to the airport in Kabul and risk capture by the Taliban. After a few conversations and assessing the overall risk of him making his way to the airport, we all decided it would be in his best interest to remain in the safe house. After three days since the Taliban entered Kabul, I lost contact with my interpreter for two weeks. This was a long two weeks, but one Friday afternoon I received a message from my interpreter. During those two weeks, my interpreter and his family moved from safe house to safe house with other interpreters evading Taliban capture. Our communication decreased greatly, but throughout the next few months we would still communicate. During that time, my interpreter's SIV-A application was processed and approved. The only thing that needed to happen was an in person interview with a State Department official at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The problem with this was the U.S. Embassy in Kabul was evacuated and the only embassies or consulates were outside of Afghanistan.

Fast Forward to 2023. My interpreter is now married and has welcomed a son to the world. The SIV-A process is moving at snail speed. But still moving nonetheless. In fact, we have found a way to get my interpreter his interview at a U.S. Embassy. Due to security and the safety of my interpreter, I will not go into detail on how this will happen. But I will say that it involves him leaving Afghanistan and travelling to another country where he will conduct the interview with a U.S. State Department official. This is where we need help. My interpreter will need assistance covering cost from travel, visas from other countries, and living expenses while traveling. We have calculated a total of $6,500 of travel expenses. I will be transparent with the distribution of the funds raised. I will not send my interpreter the entire amount at once. For example, my interpreter will have an initial expense of $1,600. I will send him the $1,600 via Western Union and post the transaction publicly. This will be the process for all distribution of funds.

Please consider donating to assist in getting my interpreter to the United States. He has sacrificed more than we have for our country.