An Afghan interpreter saved my life — now we must return the favor

READ OF THE DAY

An Afghan interpreter saved my life — now we must return the favor
By Joseph Dietzel
Sep 12, 11:45 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Lt Col Charlie Brown SSG Michael Noll Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Cpl Vic Burk SGT (Join to see) SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth ] Sgt (Join to see) SPC Michael Terrell CPL Douglas Chrysler A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney GySgt Jack Wallace SGT Mark Anderson CPL LaForest Gray SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM PV2 Larry Sellnow MSG Darold R. PO2 Marco Monsalve SGT Steve McFarland SrA John Monette

Left: Author Joseph Dietzel as a Marine in Afghanistan. Right: Dietzel and Mustafa Aahangaran, taken after Aahangaran's arrival in the U.S. (Joseph Dietzel)

Before I became a U.S. Marine, I’d never met someone from Afghanistan.

My deployment to the country in 2010 was a culture shock, but I realized quickly that my life depended on the Afghan interpreters traveling with our platoon.