U.S. Trained Afghan Pilots In US Flight School

A group of 5 Afghan combat helicopter pilots and their family members are in US flight school in Fort, TX. They escaped to Pakistan and then to the US. They need our help in paying for housing and flight school expenses.

My name is Tom Schram and live in Cincinnati, Ohio. I am a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1969, spent 4 years supporting the Vietnam war on Asia-Pacific installations, played a small role in the evacuation of Vietnam. and lost a dear friend and USNA classmate on 9/11. In response to a request from an Afghan family member in the U.S., I joined an all-veteran, all volunteer team on August 31, 2021, working to get loyal Afghans and Afghan military veterans out of their country and to the U.S. We are called the Afghan Refugee Resettlement Group or ARRG.

ARRG resettled 771 Afghans through December 2024.

ARRG then shifted to bringing 18 Afghan combat pilots (trained by the U.S.) and their 18 nuclear families, all of whom had been stranded in Pakistan. Of this group, 17 were cleared by USCIS for entry to the United States. Their destination was Fort Worth, Texas, home of the Helicopter Institute, which would be available to them to continue their flying careers if they so wanted.where they are in safe houses, while they await Humanitarian Parole P-1 processing to the United States. From September 2021 to April of 2023, financial support for this group of 35 has been totally funded by veteran pilots from their personal resources. ARRG took over financial support of these pilots with fundraising efforts in May 2023.

The last pilot arrived in Fort Worth in December 2024. Of all who have come to the US, five elected to continue their flight careers and helicopters and our in training at the Helicopter Institute. ARRG and the Helicopter Institute are funding flight school costs.

it takes approximately $75,000 for these pilots to complete all certifications with the FAA to become commercial helicopter pilots in the US. We have already funded two pilots through their “primary“ FAA check rides. Due to their advanced qualifications, they will achieve their “commercial“ and “instrument“ ratings within the next month or two.

ALL collected funds will be used to pay costs associated with getting these pilots through FAA certification as commercial helicopter pilots. This effort has been underway now via ARRG since May 2024.

Collected funds are delivered directly to ARRG and used for payment of rent, utilities, living expenses and flight training.

We respectfully ask that you consider the needs of these courageous Afghan pilots who put their lives on the line for the United States. The veterans of ARRG follow the credo of "Leave no one Behind."

Please help us help those who fought for their country as well as supporting the United States of America. You can contact me for more information by hitting the "Contact" button on the page.