April 2011 marked the deadliest insider attack of the war in Afghanistan. Eight American airmen died after an Afghan colonel opened fire in a secure facility.
Just two months later, more airmen were deployed to the country to perform the duties of the fallen victims, including Air Force Master Sgt. Michael Simon, now a military trainer for Cadet Squadron 16 at the U.S. Air Force Academy here.
For Simon, it was the beginning of a yearlong deployment to Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan, as a Mi-17 crew chief air adviser, where he relied heavily on Afghan interpreters. They helped him stay alive and accomplish the mission of training Afghan airmen to run an independent and operationally capable air force.
Today, Simon is sponsoring a young Afghan man who’d served as an interpreter in Afghanistan three years ago.
A Dangerous Job
"While downrange, I was placed in the Afghan air force military unit to help with tasks such as flightline maintenance and phase maintenance," Simon said. "Being able to connect with Afghan airmen was critical to our mission. We couldn't communicate without local interpreters, and that's how I met Mohammad Javad, or 'MJ.'"
Javad, 26, speaks Dari, Persian Farsi, English and Pashto. He said he became an interpreter to help Afghanistan become a safer place for his family. He was an interpreter for the U.S. Air Force and Army for three years.
"It was a dangerous job, because I had to keep all of my personal information a secret," Javad said. "Working with Sergeant Simon was an honor for me. We were a team and needed to work together to reach our goal."
Afghan interpreters working with American forces are often targeted by the Taliban. Due to the risk of the job, interpreters can apply for a Special Immigrant Visa that allows them to leave the country to protect their families.
Two Suitcases
"It's a long process," Simon said. "I worked with the Lutheran Refugee Services to help get MJ's documents and apartment set up before he arrived to the U.S."
Simon said sponsoring MJ is the least he can do to thank him for his support downrange.
"The Afghan interpreters helped us out so much and were crucial to our mission," Simon said. "If MJ was in the military, I think he'd be awarded a Bronze Star for the support he provided."
When Javad and his family arrived to Colorado Nov. 19, 2014, Simon picked them up from the airport. He helped Javad look for a job and get a cell phone, had him over for dinners, and provided his family cooking supplies, baby items and more through church donations.
"I'm glad his family is here and I want to support them in any way I can," Simon said. "They were only allowed to bring two suitcases to the U.S. They basically came here with nothing. My wife, Jessica, and his wife, Sarah, have really hit it off. Their daughter is six months old and is one day older than my six month old."
A Better Future
Javad rides a bike every day to work at a manufacturing company. He is currently trying to save money so he can buy a car and find a better job.
"America is the land of opportunities," he said. "I hope to make a better future for my family here. Sergeant Simon has helped me and my family more than I thought and expected. We are really good friends now."
Simon said he plans to sponsor another Afghan interpreter he worked with, who is currently in the process of obtaining a Special Immigrant Visa.
"I look at MJ and other Afghan interpreters as an extension of our military family," Simon said. "When I was serving as an adviser, I relied on and trusted them to ensure another horrific … situation did not happen again."
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