I am Derek Lundquist and in 2012-2013 I was responsible for the interpreters attached to our light infantry company during Operation Enduring Freedom, as part of Task Force Bastogne. I will refer to the recipient of this fundraiser simply as "Our Interpreter" as his family that risked everything to hide him the last three years is absolutely still in danger. I am one of the people in the gofundme pic, with my old unit commander. I don't want to give the bad guys a face and name...

In 2021 we watched decades of sacrifice from both American and partner forces come to an end. The first thing I did as we watched the enemy encircle the major cities was contact the soldiers I served with to check and see if our interpreters had ever made it out.

One of them, one of our best, had not. I was finally able to get through via social media and voice calls and found not only was he fleeing for his life, but he now had a wife and three young boys. The bad guys knew his family, knew where he lived, and were demanding to his father that he come home and face punishment for his service to the US military. We told him to make a break for the airport and get his family on a plane.

Unfortunately things didn't work out. We all know what happened over August and September 2021, and we mourn those that were disgracefully killed. Our interpreter was wounded in the blast, but somehow managed to escape through the carnage.

I could have hung up the phone and went on with my life, but that's not what we did. Myself and my old unit never abandoned him. We kept the faith for three years and after so much waiting, so much petitioning of papers and complaining to the government, he was granted his SIV he applied for and was taken to Germany and then to Minnesota. He has started his life completely over and has three young boys and a wife to take care of. They have no money, no reputation, but they have their freedom.

My family and close friends here has done everything we could. My uncle was able to hire him into a full time job working in a factory, so he has a start. His sons are going to school and they are out of the grasp of fundamentalist monsters, but they still need help.

We are looking to raise funds for him to purchase a vehicle so he can become self sufficient. The Minnesota public transportation is not very efficient and since he started work in November he spends two hours each morning in the freezing cold on a bus route to get to his job. Then when he gets home, he or his wife must navigate the cumbersome public transportation system to get groceries. It's rough. A car would be the next step of independence for them, but they simply lack the funds.

I am working with friends, charities and Islamic organizations to explore the best, lowest cost opportunities for him.

I have nothing to gain personally from this, other than helping my friend who risked his life alongside us. He was no coward and did his duty. I will ensure all of the money goes to him and I continue to mentor him on his transition to become more of an American every day. I can help make sure he doesn't get ripped off by a malicious seller. If we are able to raise more money than the target, he still has to pay back approximately $8,000-$10,000+ in airline tickets the US government funded to get him here. He has a long long road... but me and my old network of GWOT vets won't abandon him. Contact me if you have any questions in this legitimacy.