‘Terp arrives here at last
A soldier welcomed his Afghan interpreter to the United States on Wednesday, Feb. 8, after buying him a plane ticket to ensure his quick arrival amid concerns the Trump administration might try to expand its travel ban to Afghanistan.
http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/soldier-welcomes-afghan-translator-to-us-with-bear-hug
Okay, Quismat, make the most of it. Start a new life and be productive. That’s all I’m asking of you, as an American born in this country who hasn’t missed opportunities that were offered. My skating coach came here from Poland. Her husband came here from Chile. They both have wonderful lives and a family, and they’re happy to be Americans.
They made the most of it. Let’s see you do that, too.
Category: Who knows
One of my interpreters/contractors that applied to the SIV program is caught up in this. We are unable to determine if his application is still being considered.
Fortunately, my interpreter is already in the US.
“Fortunately, my interpreter is already in the US.”
Do they by chance speak Russian?
Da, Tovarisch!
Perevedite eto, хуесос!
Dobroye utro, Tovarisch!! Kak ty, chert poberi?
Dva piva, pajalsta!
We called the Afghan terps tajiman.
All the terps I had were stupid. One told me to my face jews were the descendant from pigs and monkeys, and ruled the world because of a pact with Shaitan.
He didn’t know I was jewish, otherwise, buttstock to the face series! I found out early on that it was not a good idea to let local nationals in Iraq to know I was jewish. We few times it happened, their faces went from faked friendliness to hatred in micro seconds. Never seen anybody change face expressions so fast.
Ymmv. One of my best buddies from OCS was an interpreter in Iraq. He came from an educated family and was so overjoyed when we rolled in and got rid of Saddam, that he volunteered to interpret for the Marines. After his stint, he declined his terp visa and instead came over as a student. He went to Harvard for a master’s degree and joined the marine reserves. He then wanted to become an officer, but was too old at that point, so he joined the national guard and commissioned MI just last year. Awesome guy, probably one of the most patriotic people I know.
Speaking of Judaism, there’s a comedian that does a schtick where he is naming religions. He lists them… Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic…. JEW!… Bhuddist, Methodist.
Its funny because when he says Jew his facial expression changes to one of utter disgust and he spits it out like poison. Kind of like what the Iraqi’s expression you described is like.
Of course the comedian is Jewish and he’s making a point.
I fired the stupid ones until I got a good one and I did the same to contractors.
I felt like a complete asshole but it payed off for the mission.
Putting aside the personal aspect of this, I really don’t know what all the noise is about. Interpreters had choices, including joining the fight, actively. They were also well paid, comparatively speaking. And it was THEIR freakin’ country and we still owe them? Like I said, personal feelings aside.
Believe it or not, but some locals frown upon seeing one of their own conspiring with the enemy. IMHO offering them citizenship, after they’ve put their lives on the line for us, shouldn’t be too much to ask for.
Agreed, just as the numerous Mexican nationals that have joined/served/fought alongside and for us should be given citizenship, if they desire it, with a modicum of questions. Live and act as if you WANT TO EMBRACE THE AMERICAN WAY and I will support you all the way.
I disagree. Putting their lives on the line for us is a personal decision they took by themselves. We did not force them to do anything, and we paid them handsomely for their trouble.
Receiving American citizenship was never part of the contract..
Right now, the US has the highest proportion of foreign born residents it ever had in 240 years of history. Yes, I am in favor of LEGAL immigration. After all I am an immigrant myself, but we need at least a 10 year break to even things out, otherwise we risk losing our exceptionalism.
“IMHO offering them citizenship, after they’ve put their lives on the line for us….” Oh? I thought it was the other way around.
Why can’t it go both ways? Although I’m can’t imagine what I’d need iraqi citizenship for… *scnr*
So, I wrote a reply and before sending, said, “What’s that scnr?” I googled it and then replaced that reply with this one.
From what I understood, it was already clarified that this “temp ban” was not for those as part of the SIV program, they were exempted from it.
Granted, I could be wrong, but I thought it was a DoD spokesman who stated that in the last couple weeks.
All the terps we used in my company in 2008/2009 were agents of JAM. We knew it, they knew we knew it. But they did their jobs. The days they were ‘sick’ and couldn’t work, we scrapped our missions and did something else.
All super nice guys. Wouldn’t want a single one of them in the US. Hopefully theyre dead by now.
A Marine who was in my 81’s platoon back in the 90s got a Commission and did two tours in Iraq.
He just got his terp here on the 9th. Took a few years.