Sayed Obaidullah Amin aka “Obaid” was an Afghan linguist for the United States armed forces from 2010-2015. In 2012 he served with 1st Battalion 7th Marines Dog in the Sangin District of Helmand Province. He was a loving, fearless, and dedicated man who believed his efforts were going to help make Afghanistan a better place.
Obaid walked to the gates of hell and back with us, unarmed, and without compliant. He went where few dared to tread in the hopes that his efforts to help us would build a better future for his family.
Many of the linguists working with the Marines would volunteer for less dangerous assignments but Obaid constantly volunteered to be outside of the wire with the Marines he cared about so deeply. He was our friend---our brother---he was one of us. Obaid represented the very best of those of us that fought side by side in Sangin.
For over 5 years, multiple Marines from 1/7 worked with Obaid to get his Special Immigrant Visa approved by the federal government, but all efforts failed to yield a positive result. Again and again, even after multiple letters written on his behalf by our fellow decorated Marines, his promised Visa to the US was rejected. No one could figure out why. Even national media investigated and could not get a response. Our members have gone on national media and articles have been written in major newspapers pleading Obaid’s case.
Nothing worked.
During the evacuation Obaid and his family made multiple trips through chaotic Kabul to the airport so they could flee to safety in a neighboring country as he had been promised following his years of service to US and NATO forces. Sadly, on the third trip to the Abbey Gate at Hamid Karzai International Airport, two suicide bombers attacked the gates and among the 200 Afghans killed were Obaid and his wife. Thankfully, his two sons ages 2 and 3---survived the blast and are currently in the care of their aunt and uncle.
Over the past two weeks we have made multiple efforts to extract the surviving family out of the country but none of these methods have proven successful until now.
An undisclosed organization embedded in Afghanistan has the ability to take the family to Uzbekistan where they will be housed while their paperwork with the United States of America is processed. We cannot fail them. We owe Obaid that much.
Our mission is to raise the necessary funding for housing, immigration attorney and necessities. Obaid is a Sangin brother, and many Marines are alive today thanks to his selfless acts and strong character. Upon the family receiving visas and moving to the United States the rest of the funds will be dispersed monthly to cover the costs of rent, medical, and all other expenses.
We will keep this promise to him, and his sons will know the sacrifices he made.