Help our Afghan West Point Grad, Naqib Mirzada

Hello, Everyone. My name is Craig Cummings, and I am West Point graduate who lives in Austin, Texas. I met Naqib Mirzada in September while he was living in a refugee camp thanks to introductions from West Point Graduates Laurie Hummel and Kathy Hildreth. In the spirit of "Gripping Hands" with a fellow West Point graduate in need, I am organizing this fundraise to help Naqib and his family.

Only three Afghans have ever graduated from West Point and only one ever returned to serve in the Afghan National Army--Naqib Mirzada. Upon graduation from West Point in 2017, Naqib attended the Army's Infantry Officer School, successfully completed Ranger School, and returned to Afghanistan where he served in their Special Forces until the last possible moment--August 15, 2021--when he was told to evacuate immediately.

Naqib and his parents, Anis and Mir Ghyasudden, his sisters, Robina, Nelofar and Arghawan, and his wife, Asma, were forced to leave their native country and seek refuge in the United States for fear of reprisal from the Islamic extremist group and a return to strict rule and harsh punishments.

On Aug. 17, the family fled Afghanistan, a journey that would take three days. Several weeks later, they would be placed in an Afghan refugee camp in Fort Bliss, Texas, waiting to be told where they would be resettled.

On Sept. 24th, Naqib and his family arrived to Austin, Texas, with only some clothes and small belongings. After a short stay in a 2-bedroom 1-bath apartment assigned to them by the Austin Afghan resettlement team, Brent and Jennifer Lawson learned of Naqib's situation and generously opened their beautiful home to Naqib and his family.

Now Naqib has accepted a great job opportunity in California with Anduril, and he and his family are about to leave Austin to establish new lives in Orange County, California.

Let's help Naqib get his entire family settled in California so they can begin their new lives. He and his family need our financial support for everything you can imagine--a place to live, a car, furniture, supplies and more. They have very limited resources and this money will help them tremendously. In addition, Naqib is already helping other Afghan refugees find work so helping Naqib will also help others by extension.

Naqib is an amazingly kind, smart, and humble person with unlimited potential. He, his wife, parents, and three sisters are wonderful people who will pay forward our support many times over. Thank you for being a part of this fundraise.