Central Florida veteran fighting to get those he fought with out of Afghanistan
Chaos in Afghanistan
President Joe Biden says he is bringing U.S. involvement in Afghanistan to end, saying there is no longer a need to fight against the Taliban when the people are not willing to fight for themselves. A Central Florida veteran is now fighting to get two interpreters visas to come to America.
LAKE MARY, Fla. - Thousands of people are lining up to get out of Afghanistan. Many of them worked alongside the U.S. military during the war on terror and capture by the Taliban as it would likely cost them their lives.
Army Major (ret.) Tracy J. Swanson has been fighting to get his two Afghan interpreters Special Immigration Visas to come to the U.S. for their service to the red, white, and blue. One is stuck in the chaos ensuing in Kabul.
"He’s hunkered down in Kabul fearing for his life," said Swanson. "He’s got a wife and two children and they fulfilled everything we asked them to do. We need to follow through. We need to get them out of the country."
The other interpreter made it to America, but his wife and three-year-old child have not.
"He’s absolutely terrified that they’re going to be killed because he worked for the U.S. Army and so he’s contemplating going back," said Swanson. "I told him not to. I told him that we’re working on it."
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Swanson served alongside both men from 2012 to 2013. They were just as much a part of the fight as any American on the frontlines.
"They served. My interpreters served," added Swanson.
For other local veterans, like Daniel Holliday, the images out of the country are difficult to see.
"I feel sad for the Afghani people," said Holliday who served in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011 in the Marines’ Charlie Battery Co. "I’m a little angry also because I’ve had brothers over there that have lost their lives or they’ve lost limbs."
And now the efforts turn to help the rest of our allies get out of Afghanistan.
"We owe them something we can’t just leave them behind because those people will be the first in the line of assassination for being killed. There’s no question," said former Middle East Advisor for Homeland Security Christopher Hinn.
Hinn also feels like people should have been removed back in 2014 when the war in Afghanistan was officially declared over. He believes that if not handled soon the next 24 to 48 hours could prove to be very deadly.
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