Group. Good evening and welcome. I am alexa chopivsky, executive director of the womens Foreign Policy group. On behalf of our staff, and importantly our valued coorganizers as i got your name, please stand. The foundation and afghan rescue and Resettlement Program, Paul Hastings, service and honor action. And look forward to this important and timely discussion. The w fpg board, for being the initial engine of a collaboration of partners and coorganizers. The fall of kabul in 2021, 4 highly skilled soldiers, carried out military missions. The tactical platoon or ftp composed 68 afghan women trained by the us military embarked on highprofile missions against the caliban. With you. To contribute tactical strength and communication expertise, these women exercised relentpiriand unmatched strings during hardship. Theyd alongside the Cultural Support Team consisting of highly trained american female soldiers to interact with women and children during Us Special Operations. Over the first days after the fall of kabul, 41 members of the female tactical platoon were evacuated to the us. Now, following their service and sacrifice, they face a new set of challenges in this country from citizenship and economic inclusion to ensuring the survival of their families, still living in afghanistan under caliban rule. They continue working alongside their American Partners to bring the remaining 27 ftps and family members to safety. We are deeply honored to have you this evening with us as our keynote to begin the conversation a leader who is integral to supporting these brave women Freedom Fighters who served alongside our us service men and women including our green berets, navy seals and army rangers. General Joseph Joseph votel, of us central command, Us Special Operations command, joint special operations command. During his 39 years in the military, he commanded special operations and conventional military forces at every level. In afghanistan and iraq, during his extensive time in afghanistan, general joseph votel made an impact on the female afghan decisions which is steadfast leadership and power, female soldiers, both afghans and americans to succeed at all levels which in january of 2022, general joseph votel became president and ceo of Business Executives for National Security. During the afghanistan evacuation in 2021, general joseph votel advocated numerous afghan partners and their families including the female tactical platoon. His support and advocacy are major reasons why over 40 members of the female tactical platoon are safely in the United States and here with us in person this evening. Thank you for your leadership. We are so incredibly grateful to you for sharing time with us this evening. General joseph votel, the floor is yours. Good evening to every one. Thank you very much. Kind introduction, thank you very much for joining us this evening. We have a number of other special guests in the audience, thanks to all of you and welcome to members of the american Cultural Support Teams and especially our afghan female Tactical Center this evening, it is wonderful seeing you, thanks, see you again, thank you for joining us. As always we are so honored to have you with us this evening, thank you very much. I took command of the Army Ranger Regiment a few months before the events of 9 11 back in 2,000 one. Almost immediately after that we were involved in planning for Contingency Operations in afghanistan. I was honored to deploy as part of the first wave of us troops that went to afghanistan in october of 2,000 one. Over the course of my career i served multiple tours with conventional and special operations organizations across the country of afghanistan. Over 18 years of Service Since 9 11 before i retired, helped orchestrate our plan to dismantle al qaeda and other organizations that are supporting them to include the taliban and operating across the afghanistan pakistan region. Along the way, i gained great appreciation for the goodness of the Afghan People and their sincere desire for peace and stability after decades of conflict. Our operation to dismantle Terror Networks were very aggressive and required us to confront terrorist organizations where they operated which was often in villages and especially among the Afghan People. Over time we understood our ability to have the impact we wanted against these networks required a mode of operations that was unprecedented compared to all our other military experiences. This resulted in dozens of operations every day, almost exclusively conducted at night. As we came to appreciate this was an effective military approach to fighting terrorism it also brought undesirable impacts for the Afghan People, entry into their private homes. Exposure to the hazards of combat, tactical mistakes, segregation of families during operations, and violent extremes organizations imposing their will on peaceful afghans who seem to be actively or passively supporting american and nato operations. We work very hard to reduce these impacts using technology, keep people safe, information approaches to inform people and eventually altering our tactics on the ground. One of the impacts we are most keen to mitigate was the effect of our operations on women and children who are often on the objectives where we were operating. Our focus was always on safeguarding afghan civilians but we recognize there could be some practical military advantages to this approach as well. Once this need was identified, our system swung into Rapid Response acting on the direction of the then Us Special Operations command commanding general, admiral eric olson, we undertook a rapid effort to identify, recruit and train female officers and noncommissioned officers from all of the Us Military Services but predominantly the army, to serve as Cultural Support Team members. Strike forces, to be on the objectives with them and use their skills to not only safeguard women and children, but where appropriate, gather information to support our military mission. The training was regress and comprehensive. Rigorous and comprehensive. They were required to meet every standard required of male counterparts on the strike including carrying heavy loads and when necessary employing their weapons to defend themselves and their fellow special operators. The program was an immediate success. And when combined with modified tactics and other approaches, helped to further minimize but, unfortunately, not completely eliminate civilian casualties. Information gathered by our Cultural Support Team members from family members often aided our tactical operations, and a personally witnessed on the number of occasions while the company our strike forces, they enabled as with often heard our ability to talk to the other 50 of the population, and i personally witnessed on an objective one evening in afghan woman after talking to one of her Cultural Team members pointing directly to her husband say, thats the man you want right there. Very kind of the form of righteous justice for her, im sure. Afghan women were also very surprised to see other american women on the objectives with them, and this had a huge impact on them and in a very interesting way provided an example of empowerment to them. This approach is not without risk, and several of our Cultural Support Team members were killed and wounded in combat operations. Their stories are well told and excellent book ashleys war by my friend gail lindeman and, of course,hl we see the examples he at the pictures of ashley white and Jennifer Marino here as well astu her afghan counterpart. But overall, the program was so successful that we continued to develop, that as we continued to develop and expand the mail Afghan Special operations units, we encouraged and the afghan leadershipne listened then to create an afghan version of Cultural Support Teams, known as the female tactical platoon who would especially serve with Afghan SpecialOperations Forces but especially the afghan units. As you can imagine the introduction of this approach in a culture that held women to a very particular ball was a challenge, but one that was overcome largely through the perseverance and discipline and professional excellence of not only theed afghan women i sighed to the female tactical platoon, but also to the professionalism of the u. S. Cultural support team members who trained and a leadersthem, and and the afghan army who not only believed in the program but inherently appreciated that this was the right approach. Their impact was legend. Increased effectiveness come safeguarding afghan civilians and breaking of cultural barriers. The female tactical platoon serve as a poignant example of the positive leading role that women could and were already playing in modern Afghan Society. For me the example of the Cultural Support Teams and the female tactical platoon were a significant factor in my rectum at 102015 recommendation to then secretary of Defense Ash Carter to open up all combat specialties to female service members. And to doing that we talked frequently with our cst partners, and i can tell you they were the most influential factor in my recommendations to the secretary of defense. As if the example of courage and bravery in combat was not enough, this Extraordinary Group of american and afghan women saved their greatest lesson for when the going was most difficult during the evacuation of kabul nearly two years ago, next month. In a a lifetime of service, mosy in combat, around combat troops, i was never more inspired than by the efforts led by american women both military and civilian to successfully evacuate their afghan counterparts under the most arduous and dangerous conditions. And of the sheer bravery and courage of the female tactical platoon members to get themselves and some of their family members out. Americans have no reasonable frame of reference for the fear absorbed and the tenacity demonstrated during that evacuation. We can never forget those who were lost or gave so much for the freedom, and we must tonight, and on the upcoming second anniversary of this evacuation, we dedicate ourselves to helping them and their families. Their sacrificess cannot be, cannot have been made in vain. We have no reasonable recourse but to do the right thing. Today, afghanistan is the humanitarian political crisis that demands international attention. The taliban believes that it is doing the will of god, purifying Afghan Society to create a perfect islamic emirate. The combination of these taliban purification efforts along with education, poverty and extremism is a toxic combination that is not good for the Afghan People or the region. The rollback in human rights and Democratic Values is eye watering. Women and girls have now officially been o denied the opportunity for education. The taliban has issued over 60 reducing space for women in Afghan Society, including most recently ordering the shutdown of hair salons across the country. Denying an important cultural opportunity for women to gather among themselves and talk outside of their homes. Females who previously served as military or Civil Servants are being deliberately targeted your over all, freedom of expression and freedom of the press is severely restricted, it even existed. Civil society is all but nonexistent. Ethnic exclusion is widespread. Minorities, not just women alike others across the country, are being persecuted. He child a spike in marriage and child labor. We cannot afford to turn our eyes away from the situation in afghanistan today. The fact is that the diminishment of human rights and Democratic Values in afghanistan is a National Security threat for the United States, our partners in the region, and, in fact, all of our friends around the world. And if you dont believe me, you just need to travel less than two miles from this location to visit the pentagon 9 11 memorial, to be reminded once again of the cost of taking our eye off of the threats to our citizens and to our friends into our interests. There are things that we can, that can and must be done. We must unabashedly draw attention to the deteriorating situation in afghanistan. Accountability begins into court of public opinion. We mustwa clarify pathways and properly staff and support the visa process to ensure those who helped us are, in fact, served quickly and effectively. And we should prioritize our females, our partners and the female tactical platoon and their families for this process. We must support nongovernment organizations and government elements including from the United Nations who are working to relieve the humanitarian crisis in afghanistan. We must supportou organizations like Freedom House and others that work to support human rights defenders, we must pursue diplomatic process that holds the taliban accountable and has as its goal to peacefully restore Democratic Values and human rights for all citizens of afghanistan. We must confront the abuses that we see in afghanistan. We must support our friends and partners. We must honor those who stepped up and did their duty. We must aspire to the example that is been set for us by the brave women of the afghan tactical platoon. Putting country and family first, being willing to put skin in the game, and being willing to accept the resilience to see it through. Im very proud of all of our afghan female female tacn members and the culture support. I think the reps at the very best in all of us. Thank you for the opportunity to see the end of afford to the rest of our time. [applause] thank you, general votel, as always. What an honor to be representing Penfed Credit Union. The penfed,ident of ceo of the Penfed Foundation also the presidency of the Penfed Credit Union. I think what to represent tonight on behalf of the credit union and the foundation is a commitment to service. As a former military officer i learned at a young age come out of west point what it meant to train menes and women to go into harms way oneh behalf of a nation. Na and they learned after graduate school during my time in the pentagon how we can never forget the men and women we ask to go into harms way h to fight on behalf of our nation. So we are here tonight because of the Penfed Foundation, we dont just thank veterans for their service, we demonstrate that through our actions. Twoou years ago as general votel said during the tumultuous pullout of american troops from afghanistan we knew our afghanistan allies were in danger. The women you are about to meet are just a few of the courageous afghans who risked their lives to serve alongside our u. S. Troops. These women, numbers of female tactical platoon, personally and directly recruited and trained by an elite group of American Service women known as a Cultural Support Team. These american heroes exemplify bravery and loyalty. About ten members of the Cultural Support Team worked relentlessly around the clock to evacuate your sisters when we evacuated kabul. Amidst the chaos at the airport they succeeded in bringing 43 afghan women and immediate family members to the United States. I cant think my bored enough for their support. [applause] thank my board enough. I cannot thank my board of directors enough for their support to provide the funding and our donors that provided the funding to allow us to take perfect care of these women who deserve to be taken perfect care of. For two years these families have faced tremendous hardship, grieving the loss of the love once they had to leave behind while adapting to a new environment at a new life here in america. Put yourself in their shoes. Drastically middle of the night, out of their country, here to learn a new language trying to secure employment and move forward with their lives. Many of them have their Young Children here with them. Our foundation is honored to have played a small part in supporting the families but the reason were here tonight is the struggle is not over. Only 11 of the 43 female tactical platoon members have been granted asylum. And that is just not right. The rest remain in limbo, uncertain of what thee future holds for them and their families. Afghan rescue and Resettlement Program is aimed to provide them with somee stability during ths extreme a challenging time. The Foundation Proud to stand behind them as they did for us and all americans. We know the extraordinary value, grace and work ethic they bring to the committees across america. It is a tremendous honor for me now to introduce the next part of our program. We will hear from some members of the female tactical platoon and one of the american women who worked alongside in afghanistan. I would now like to introduce Amanda Ripley who probably needs the introduction, multiple bestsellers, accomplished journalist for political and reporting on afghan women soon after the ride in u. S. Has been important in groundbreaking. But what she taught me through her writings is an america we all need three things. We need help, we need agency, the ability to influence to be able to do things that have an impact on many dignity. I think what amand is going to highlight tonight when you meet these women, they possess all three and represent the best of america. Afghan partners, thanks for being here. Amanda, thank you. [applause] good evening. Its good to be here with you all. I would like to invite my esteemed panelists to join me up here. Im going to introduce more formally in turn. What if you come up now . Its very lonely. And lets give them a round of applause already. [applause] okay. Couple years ago, more like you have come got a call from the editor at Politico Magazine and she said i have a story for you. Which i know theres at least one other reporter, jennifer is here. Are there other reporters here . So youou know when it editor cas you and its the idea you were always like, this is not going to be good. Like the asked through other people, they said no and other comingre to me so im all like okay great, tell me. And sheaf says well, believe itr not there are a few dozen elite afghan soldiers, all female, o served alongside your special operators ten years in afghanistan. And did incredible things to fight the taliban and isis. And now theyre in the United States scattered across the country starting from scratch. And i was like, you had me at female soldiers. This is an amazing story. Thank you. In 20 years of writing for magazines, i have never ever gotten the privilege to work on a story that so changed my own conscious and subconscious ideas about afghan women, about female soldiers, and about refugees. It was a true honor to work on this project, and im very grateful to this esps and ftps for putting up with a lot of foolish questions, very graciously as i learned what to ask and all that i did not know, which was a lot. Some going to ask some more foolish questions right now. You are usedd to this by now. But i just wanted to tell you how much of this admit to me, and another that many of you in the audience have had similar experiences. I want to start by introducing our panelists very briefly. Hawa haidari is a sixyear veteran with the female tactical platoon. She is currently living in spokane, washington, and she works hard and she also plays hard. She enjoys kickboxing and boxing and mixed martial arts. Farida mohammadi spent five years as as a member of the e tactical platoon until the fall of kabul, just like hawa. Pictures currently is living in lancaster, pennsylvania, where she works as a Security Guard for a shipping company. Some point, therefore, i believe you are taking three english classes simultaneously. Im not sure how thats possible, but maybe you can tell us any minute. And then we have Rebekah Edmondson is that ten years in the u. S. Army, and three of those years deployed in afghanistan where she served alongside army rangers and members of the female tactical platoon. Currently rebekah is working for the Penfed Credit Union supporting the female tacticalct platoon. Okay. Ive talked a lot. Its like oh, my gosh, is you going to talk this whole time . No. Hawa, could you tell us what was your job like as as a membere field tactical platoon . Okay. Well, my name is hawa. I start working in 2015 and tell afghanistan is toppled by taliban. Stp is a group of people working alongside u. S. Special forces and Afghanistan Special forces. So when Afghan Special forces with two admission together if find out they are missing something that the mission is not completed. So that time because of the afghanistan is traditional and religious country so they hire some stps to complete this mission. So they hired, first they hired a couple stps, a few stps and after, so when i joined it as stp there was just 11 stps. We had training the same as special forces training and information to different parts of afghanistan day and night, and so we went to go to the mission and searching for an important person of the taliban. So when women and children come out from the compound and we search them with security and asked asymptotically questions and important to the team. So was very successful and helpful for the teams to complete and success mission. Working as stp, the possibility is to help the mission, help the teams be successful in the mission. This is our job we do. In 2021, there was more than 50 stps working there. Amanda so when you started, it was a Smaller Group and a group and it grew because it was so successful . Yeah. Amanda as the only one on stage who has not been in combat, im going to clarify some things. This often looked like, what, getting on helicopters and going into remote places in the middle of the night, and what would you do when you got there . When we got there, we would go to the taliban house in search for a special person. Amanda you are searching for commanders. Someone you want to talk to. Yeah. When the children and women come out, we ask them the questions. The tactical questions about the target. Amanda so youre interviewing the women and children and searching them as well i assume and trying to quickly build trust. But also we are trying to find the target, the information about the target. Because mostly they hide something from the woman. Amanda there might be weapons hidden from the women or children in the home somewhere. Yeah. Amanda i would imagine being a woman is very helpful in the situation. Yeah. It is very helpful. [laughter] amanda can you explain why . Although i have ideas, can you explain why it is helpful . It is helpful because when the man is going into the taliban house, they want to search the women and children. When they see a female soldier, we can ask them, because in afghanistan, it is because of the religion and culture, usually the man cannot touch the woman and cannot speak with them sometimes. They see a female, and it is easy for them to talk and ask about the situation. About the target. Amanda so it is a lot less threatening and offensive, maybe, to have a woman . We are starting to get a picture. I have a lot of questions, but im going to quickly jump to rebecca. So, when you first heard about this program, to create a platoon that was doing what american women were already doing, what you had some apprehensions initially, right . Definitely apprehensions. So, to put it into perspective, when i first deployed as a cst, i was told before i ever arrived that i would be working with the ladies of the female tactical platoon. I was cutting my teeth and learning what it meant to be a cst at the same time. Amanda im just going to pause for a quick acronym check. You all may know this, but it took me months to figure this out. Sorry to interrupt you. Cst is the Cultural Support Team, that is the american female special operators. Cst, ftp. Same thing. Amanda female tactical platoon. Military grade. What are you going to do . We do the same job. Amanda one is american. One is afghan. Sorry. My kneejerk reaction to learning that was, oh my god. Like, i have this additional tasking. Not only am i supposed to deploy and understand what im supposed to do as a cst, now i am also charged with training and advising, advise and assist with the mission, our ftp counterparts. At first, i was kind of shaken by it. You know, i thought, i dont even know how to do this job. How am i supposed to guide somebody else, for them to be successful . It started off a little bit rocky, if i am being perfectly honest. I came over there with a lead of with a lot of preconceived notions about afghanistan and the culture, and i guess i was in my american brain at first. And it took me some time to get to know them as human beings and to realize the value they brought to the mission, and it did not take very long for me to realize they were actually better at performing this function than i was, because they grew up there. They are invested. They speak the language. They understand the cultural nuances. And so, i grew tremendous respect for them pretty quickly. Understanding that, really, they needed to be in the lead and i was just in the background. Amanda you have called that experience the highlight of your career, which you probably did not anticipate. Oh god, not at first. It was a bittersweet scenario. I think for me, it was a lot of pressure. I felt like not only was i trying to prove myself as the token female amongst the sea of 200 plus army rangers, but i was also sort of responsible for this other capability that was also learning at the same time. And so, i felt like if they were not successful, then not only did i have to worry about how i performed on missions, but i was also worried about how they were doing. And so, i was really uptight. I was an e5 sergeant by the book. At first, i was not trying to get to know ftps as human beings. And it took me time to realize that we are in this together, and if we are going to be successful, we have to bridge that gap, and get to know each other on a more personal level. Amanda it does seem like a very strong bond developed between you and other ftps. Ive heard stories about latenight henna parties. [laughter] a lot of cooking. Dancing. Amanda a lot of dancing. Sharing stories. Cooking with inadequate ingredients creative cooking we will call it. Farida, can you tell us a little bit about some of the challenges you faced working alongside male Afghan Special operators . As you know, afghanistan is a very traditional and religious country. It was really hard to work with to work especially in special forces. I had to talk and talk with my i had to talk and talk with my family to convince them. When i convinced them, i had to keep it a secret, because i did not want my relatives to know i am working in the military. It was super dangerous. Also people did not have a good idea about women. I was happy that i was in the military. It was hard for us special forces, because we were female. Women can work as hard as men. But you know, after all of the training and missions, they can do as much a man can do. Some ftps did a better job than men. Amanda you can say it. They did. [applause] we proved we can do everything they can do. Still, it was hard for them to accept it, because we are female. Yeah, it was very hard. They said, you are a female . What are you doing here . They were surprised when they saw us. They asked a lot of questions. Some of them said, you are working with a lot of men. It was really hard. Sometimes it happened when we were in kabul. We did missions from the scorpion camp. We had to go to base. When we get off the bus, all the passengers were looking to us. It was weird for them. They were looking back to us. They had bad thoughts about us. It was very hard. Fighting with tradition was more hard. With all the problems, we just continue. Amanda let me get this straight, so there were many rings of challenges. There was convincing your family. Then keeping it secret from the neighbors. Did you have a story you told about where you were going . Yeah. I told my family, im working in a clinic. Amanda a clinic. Yeah, a clinic. I said, i have training for three months. Amanda medical training. Yeah. Amanda any cia agents in the room. [laughter] so you said that you work in a clinic. And then you had the afghan male special operators who had their own issues. And also, like rebecca, wanted to prove themselves and felt stressed and worried. And then you had the american male special operators. The female also. So we are getting many challenges. And then you have the people whose homes you were searching, who were shocked i assume, to see a woman in uniform, and afghan woman. At the end you mentioned taliban and isis leaders almost as an afterthought. Also challenging, no doubt. But there were many challenges. The ftps, they continued their job. I am super proud of my coworkers. Super brave women. [applause] amanda one of the things i noticed and this could have just in my impression but was that sometimes i know as a woman who has not like this in some maledominated areas there is a real impulse i think, at least there was for me to act like a man. To try to fit in to assimilate. But i just noticed with the platoon members i have spent time with, i did not get that sense. It was like maybe there were so many hurdles that you were like, this is who i am. Im not going to pretend i am you. Is that right . Rebecca . I will weigh in on that. Amanda am i wrong . You are onto something. I would argue that dynamic actually existed more on the u. S. Side than it did in afghanistan. I definitely had colleagues that took up chewing tobacco and all the things. Just trying to fit in. But i think what was so lovely about the ftps is they kind of owned who they were. And they paid respect to the culture. They had to respect certain nuances within their culture, otherwise they would have just been beaten down by their colleagues, so they had these very rigorous left and right limits of what they knew they had to sort of abide by otherwise there would be backlash. And so, i always had tremendous respect for them in that regard because they had this whole other layer of challenges and difficulties they encountered just to integrate into their unit. Whereas an American Woman like myself integrating with army rangers, you could just bro out and it was kind of same same. But their role was very feminine. And the men i think respected you more because you adhered you were not trying to be one of the guys. Amanda it is a very complicated thing it is like threading a needle. Its interesting. I am also thinking about all of those challenges you listed and im thinking about your commander for many years is here. I think you are all going to meet in a minute. I remember her saying to me, none of that was as hard as starting over in the United States. So id love i would love to shift to the evacuation. Farida, what do you remember from the evacuation . That the evacuation was really crazy. When we got to the airport, all of a sudden, the crowd of people, it looked like all of kabul came to the airport. The soldiers were trying to keep people away from the gate. People were scared of the taliban. Everyone was trying to get to and there are pushing each other and, but american soldiers in taliban, they were trying to keep the people away from the gate. They were doing the warning shot. Shot. They were doing the flash bang. They did gas tears to keep people away. The tear gas. Yeah, but the only thing that i can forget, also the children and kids, they were crying. They were really scared. This is something, this is something that is very painful for me, and all the thing that one is on the taliban that they were using they had of the uniform on and there are weapons. It was very painful for me. You know, its hard to talk about. But yeah, ftps are trying to get in. If they promised peace, if they had a kid, that kid im sorry. Its okay. Yeah, it was really hard. They go to airport but if they had kids, some couldnt make it. I look for them when we were airport. We were outside of airport all the day and the night. We spendwe the whole week, but finally our support team they contacted an american soldier in the airport and they just help us, we just walked in the airport. A nightmarish week. Yeah. And then where did you eventually end up once you got on the plane . Yeah, we spend that night in the airport, and after that we get flight to uae. To the uae . Yeah. And then we spent at least another two months in uae at refugee camp. And after twomonth process i got to the United States and i spent another two months in camp in virginia. Yeah, like you know, if we counted like after six months, like i started my own life from zero. After six months . Yeah. Odyssey. Six months we didnt have room, we just, it was painful. Is anyone with you in spokane . Yeah, yeah. This is something that i was told happy life because when i go to camp, i had my two nephews with me, they were like 16 years old in 15an years old. It was hard for me to take care of them. The camp was like really crowded. Again, a lot of families, big family but justou my two young nephews, and always willing to take care of them and keep them safe. It was really hardke for me. Hawa, what have been some of the challenges for you since coming to america . When i come to america there is some challenges and the first challenge is the language, that we take some english classes, english courses and they show the people the culture, all different for us. Fortunately, the Culture Support Team has helped us to give us every as to be a mentor and help them, and they give them with english classes, appointment. It was sort of amazing how many of the american counterparts managed to just help create a new infrastructure here, which is very difficult, right . And often thought about how hard it was and how come there were 70,000 other afghan refugees who did not have that, which is shocking. Like i cant even get my head around it. So the language was a huge challenge. Yeah. I assume worrying about everything happening in. Afghanistan was huge heartbreak. Yeah. Being far away from your family, that they were in danger still because of because of thehe work you di. Yeah. And you are the enemy of the taliban. N. Yeah. After i came to United States there are two times taliban has come to my house searching for me. Theyre asking for my brother, from my mother that we heard that somebody is working for the military here. Where is she . They said theres nobody here but still they continue coming. They captured my brother two days and we didnt know that where is he. They search all of our houses. And now they have to change their location e every two monts and go to somewhere else for them be safe. Okay. So let me just put this into context. We have 40 women who spent ten years in combat alongside American Special operators seeing seem more combat the most American Veterans alive today, and they are now kill on site by the taliban because of the work that they did and because of who they were. Now their families are in danger. Now they cometh here, and congrs still passed out past the afghan adjustment act or anything that would legalize their immigration status, which will hear more about. I believe 11 of the 40 women platoon members have had the assignment grants come through. I will tell yough when this stoy came out i thought surely once people know about this, this cannot stand. And i was pretty cynical before this so it shocking to me that i got that so wrong. What i call the pentagon for comment before the story came out, they did not know about the female tactical platoon. Thank god for general votel who was like yes, i knew, i knew about them. He agreed to be quoted in the article for which i am grateful. But i thought once people knew, once more people knew, once members of congress knew, surely an adjustment act would be passed just as it had been passed on a bipartisan way for iraqis and for the enemies refugees, and others. So i think the feeling for me is mostly one of shame. And i would ask all of you who have a Voting Member of congress, because i do not, i live in washington, d. C. , to consider reading about the afghan adjustment act and what else can be done and reaching out to h your member of congress if youve not already. As the report are not supposed to say these things, i dont think. But i dont see how i cant. Its just not right. We are almost out of time. I want to ask you, hawa, to tell us what are some of your hopes for the future. Well, so when they came to the United States, i started started from zero. Taking english lessons and trying to prove english and going to college and continue their education. Most of all willing to join the military because they dream had any military in afghanistan that were not able to live, and we are dreaming about in the future that we are and the United States. Dreaming about any future, like the mission continues, is that what you are saying . Yeah, because the experience we have in afghanistan, so it more help us to get in the military here and prove. One of the things i learned from talking to you and your colleagueses is about the sort f less about how we can help refugees at how they can help us. Its a huge amount of talent, grid and experience that we are not takingn advantage of. These women have been thoroughly vetted. No one in has been vetted like these women, i promise you. Maybe general votel, that it. [laughing] so theres a lot of talent and experience and strength that we would i think could use. I dont know, im no expert on the military but thats my sense. Thank you. It seems like a lot of stps would like to join the u. S. Military, is that fair . They would love to join the u. S. Military because its the. Country that saved our life. What do you need to join the u. S. Military . I need my green card. Okay. There it is. Thats what you need. You need a green card. Yeah. Another hope that all of our stps have that helping our families who when they came here, because now we cant do anything for the because they are in danger and t we hope one day we live together and be safe. Seeto a you would like to alo bring a family here and the first thing that has to happen for that to happen is to get a green card. Yeah. I would like to have us all give a a round of applause for panelists. Thank you verypp much. [applause] getting a standing ovation. [applause] thank you. And now, rebekah is going to fill us in on whats about to happen next. So were going to take just a quick shift to have the panel to follow. While we are doing a switching of mics were going to play video that i am just so proud that was created. My work with the Penfed Foundation, a big effort has been about telling this story in raising awareness. So you will hear from some of the colleagues and well get right back after it in a few minutes. More to come. Thank you all. [applause] i met the ladies of the female tactical platoon in 2012 during my first deploymentll to afghanistan in 2016 ie had the the honor of working with the entire platoon. So at the time a group to about 28 women at once, and all we were doing was training at their facilities in kabul. Fortunately, because penfed is a foundation is a military Centric Foundation thatli supports veterans and spouses in the military community, i think there was an obvious desire to respond to the emergency and the crisis that was taking place when afghans were being if i quit from afghanistan. The ftps had only a matter of hours to say goodbye to their loved ones, to destroy any evidence of their existence essentially before they could come to the airport with the clothes on the back and maybe if the were lucky their child or younger sibling. Me and my husband together, with american military, and special forcend my husband murdered by the taliban. Now unhappy because im safe and too many people help me and help my son. Here everything is better to afghanistan because i live here. No food in afghanistan, no job in afghanistan. Yeah, very hard. I miss my family, i miss for my country. I miss for my new home and i miss for my husband. My hope for them is finding happiness, whatever that might look like. And at this point so much of their heart is missing back home and theiry families. I think the women female tactical platoon really embodies they are veterans. They are just not American Veterans yet and thats really what we are working towards, is that one day they will be seen as at least afghan American Veterans that risk their lives alongside of us. Some of them gave their lives come sit to us they are no different than theyre just as deserving, and if not more because of everything they lost and everything they put on their line for our country. Good evening, everybody. Our panelists are still getting their mics but im going to go ahead anyway. We have jennifer rady go. My name is renata parras. I esg counsel at Paul Hastings law firm bit before becoming esg counsel i was the firms Global Pro Bono counsel. Its been my absolute honor to lead Afghan Legal Task force, a Task Force Made up of local law firms to support the female tactical platoon. Together, we all represent all of the female tactical platoon that relocated to the United States. And we also work alongside the sisterss of service and penfed and all of their efforts to serve this Incredible Group. In august w of 2022 we realized that we needed to do this together. We also realized that we needed to make a very public showing. Amanda highlighted that earlier. We filed each other female tactical platoon members asylum applications within two days of one another in a very visible effort to alert the u. S. Government. We did so not only to let the world know that these heroes were here inas the united state, but that they were here without permanent status, are wrong that surely needed too be righted by the United States government. As a former deputy chief counsel for the u. S. Department of homeland security, i felt a very personal commitment to ensuring that these women were given the benefits that they deserved, and that they could move on with their lives and continue to contribute in a very meaningful way. I am very sad to report as you already heard that only 11 of the asylum applications that we filed have been granted to date. Todays panel is going to discuss the many challenges that the female tactical platoon has faced from evacuation to their time here in the United States. We are honored to have today Jennifer Griffin with us to moderate this distinguished panel. Jennifer is of course thee chif National Security correspondent for fox news at the pentagon. She will be joined by ambassador abdallah razz who served as a last ambassador from afghanistan to the United States. Also on the panel is mary kolars come former commander of the Cultural Support Team program for the u. S. Military and also the founder of sisters of service. We also have Mahnaz Akbari is a former commander of the female tactical platoon. They served alongside one another in afghanistan for ten years. And last but certainly not least we have tom seaman with us today, legislative director from with honor and also a u. S. Marine corps veteran. Im going to welcome the panel up now. [applause] well, thank you so much for the introduction and of what to just thank amanda being such a beautiful job of keeping up the discussion thus far, and it would just like to really jump right inmy and pick up on some f the things that she was drawing out from the Previous Panel because these are really, really important themes. One thing i would like to start with is this issue of training. And before we get started i should say that my relationship to afghanistan goes back to 1994, because i spent my honeymoon in kabul and 1994 when it when it was a Young Journalist and cutting my teeth. So its a place that is so important to me and to my family, to my husband who is also a journalist, and the women, im not surprised to hear a man does description of the women and how they k knew who ty were and he knew the parameters in which they worked and yet they artfully navigated the u. S. Military as well as the Afghan Military, and there were some of the most effective, they were the secret weapon that allowed the u. S. Military to do what they needed to do in these very dangerous situations. So with that i would like to start with mahnaz who was the commander of this Incredible Group of 40 women for ten years, and i would like you to explain a little more about the kind of military training that you were provided by the u. S. Military. Thank you so much. We had all kinds the training that the soldiers should know about that. Like shooting i think they can hear you. Just pick up a little bit. Like shooting, how to fast rope. Jump out of the helicopter . Yeah, to land. And how to searching people, searching like houses, like all the kind of training that the soldiers should do, no intermission, so it was necessary for them that any kind of training. So you went through basically the same special forces training that men would go through, afghan men as well as american men and women. Yes. Nothing different. Tell me, mahnaz, about one of the most dangerous night for one of the more dangerous missions. I know there are many but tell me about one that you are personally on one of your sisters was on. I think all the nations that we did was a danger because those missions took place in the taliban and isis and other groups houses. Like, they have weapons. They have soldiers. They have bodyguards. I cant say which one is more dangerous, but the last mission that i did, it was in 2015. And that mission, more than 70 isis soldiers were killed. Also unfortunately two of my american male colleagues were killed also in that mission. Let me, because mahnaz is humble, we go back ten years, shes being humble right now. That mission, mahnaz, fast roped what shes talking about, so she came out on a rope helicopter hovering about i dont anywhere from 30 to 70 feet and slid down a rope under gunfire, which not a lot of u. S. Service members have done, but there was mahnaz, tiny as she is right now come you can imagine she is pretty fierce, came out of the helicopter and taking the fight directly to the enemy, and that was a huge target and a huge win for the United States as well as the Afghan People. So she is being humble but it was a very dangerous mission. [applause] mahnaz, how many languages do you speak . Just one. [laughing] well, two. Most of the women, how many languages are they speaking . Most you are the stps. Then . And english. And mary, you worked alongside these women. Tell me your experience when, was falling. Where were you . What went through your mind and what did you do . And the question to start off with. So april 2021 when we heard the news along with everyone else the president announced were going to withdraw from afghanistan. And a group of companies to cftt Program Manager at the time out of fort bragg, now fort liberty North Carolina. Theres a group of us we were not sure what was going to happen but we knew that these women were going to be great danger in afghanistan if we did pull, not because they cant take care of themselves. They very obvious a camp at the three strikes against them in my mind, email in a country that does not value life the same way female life in the same way. Le in a country that does not value life the same way. They were a minority that is still today very heavily persecuted which is difficult to watch. They were female soldiers that had served directly sidebyside with us. Somebody in the Afghan Military decided to make a recruiting video about them sorted the about them so their faces and names were all over the place. We knew they were in great danger. A group of about 10 of us decided to start dedicating a large portion of our time trying to apply for special immigrant visas. I am not great about talking about immigration. It was a system set up for interpreters. We thought maybe if we applied for these visas will be able to get them to the states somehow. I remember talking to our little group. Any of whom are here today in the art many of whom mark your today in the audience. He thought if we got one out it would be a miracle. We did not think we have the capacity. What we a large portion of our time trying to apply for special immigrant visas. Im not great about talking about immigration. Laughing upfront. And for interpreters, maybe if we apply for these visas, well be able to get them to the states somehow. We thought, you know, i remember talking to our little group, many of whom are here today, in the audience. We thought if we got one out, it would be a miracle. We didnt think we had the capacity and what we didnt realize is the strong allies that we had out in the community. People like the general writing letters to congress for us and generating these huge forces. People like Christy Rogers who helped put on this event today that was just, you know, we shouldly suddenly got connected to a massive network, how can we help. The day that afghanistan fell, i was out in the mountains in North Carolina on vacation and we had been submitting these siv applications and we knew things in afghanistan were pretty dangerous, but we didnt realize it was going to fall quite so quickly and we got the phone call that the taliban were in kabul. One of the most difficult things is to hear the narrative that the afghans laid down their weapons without a shot. These women were told seven days before to leave. And it would have not have been their choice. We knew the taliban had captured their information and you heard scorpion, the Training Base they were located at. And the taliban will gone to scorpion and mahnaz was one of my closest friends and we were keeping in contact and her just kind of saying, should i go back and try to get some of my stuff . And i was like mahnaz, i was terrified for her. I said, please do not go to talibanheld territory to try to get some of your stuff from the barracks, but it was terrifying for us to be on the other end and you heard how awful the evacuation or the scenario was and a lot of my counterparts were helpless on the phone waiting for people to help us and i think i racked up like a 1,000 phone bill to afghanistan because mahnazs phone kept dying and she would switch out phones somebody else and i would call some new number and we would have people helping us, trying to direct us to different parts of the airport and just trying to get them in one gate. One of my favorite phone calls from ftp, mary, could you send a car out to get us, they were waiting 12 hours day one outside of the airport chaos. If i could send a car to get you guys, i would have done that a long time ago. But it was just chaos. You heard them talk about the gunfire and the grenades and everything, and we were just kind of helpless knowing that the taliban was starting to go doortodoor looking directly for the female tactical platoon. Were grateful to a lot of people in the room tonight for this amazing little coalition that we had on for the ladies. Those two or three weeks around the evacuation were just, i think, i only slept a couple of hours, same with those in the audience. Sitting on the edge of our seat, whats happening to our sisters over there, feeling helpless. So well pick up on that part of the story, but adelea, you were here in washington. You were the ambassador when kabul fell. What happened in your world and in your life at that moment . I think my world started to crumble a little earlier, as soon as i arrived to washington. As some of you know, i started to work as ambassador of afghanistan in the United Nations and i arrived early july to washington and i tell everyone, that as an ambassador, when i got my credentials to be able to meet government officials here, my first meeting was with dod, it was not the state department because we were already in the midst of chaos on the ground. And it started like that and then that last friday when i was in office and sunday the collapse happened, it makes me emotional every time i talk about it. I made countless calls to every single representative that my office could get a hold of and my plea to them was that, in the end of each call i had plea and please make sure kabul doesnt fall. I know that people like mahnaz, theyre in town and they came to kabul from every part of the province and part of the country and my biggest fear was as taliban comes to power there would be a slaughter of them and i couldnt take it. And i think our twitter account still at the embassy still has some of the calls records that they put it out that day and i came home at 9 p. M. Exhausted. I think i made 20, 25, or 30 calls. I came home exhausted and i couldnt put myself together to explain things and thats hard and thats how my friday was. That sunday morning, 6 00 in the morning, i woke up, i think none of us had slope sleep because we knew something would go wrong and i picked up my phone and the screen was full of messages and missed calls and i started to shake and i said, something is off. As soon as i picked up my phone my first call was to my husband, he was in afghanistan and he told me he wont leave. So i called him and he picked up his First Response to me was im fine, dont worry and thats where i knew i should be worried because i knew things were not fine. And i think from that moment onward, for good more than six months i was disoriented, lost, confused, heart broken, lost trust in everything i believed. I said even in the darkest time of my life, i did not more darkness was arriving, the five years of my teenager when i lived in taliban time the first time they came into power. Even then i had hope because i thought this will end. This will come to an end and because of that end and that hope, i always had a direction and that direction was to study hard and even when education was banned for girls i studied hard at home. That sunday morning, i think i just did not know what is hope or how do i even have a direction to move forward because whatever i believed, it was broken. It was belief in believing in the leaders, national standards, believing in allies, believing in friends, believing in hope in a direction, thats all gone. I think thats the life of every single after fan afghan, and the hope is to having your family here and earlier, our hope was for a proper democracy and freedom and stability in afghanistan. And we all talked about the strength of afghan women and its true, i think. I also heard that as a woman in male dominant space we act or were pushed to act as men, but its unique to afghan women, regardless which space we were, staying so strong that we kept the sisterhood, but at the same time we fought and we moved forward and now, sometimes thinking so small and i mean, its still not small, but thinking about hope, which is in magnitude smaller compared to what it was. Its heartbreaking, but i think weve put our life together somehow one way or the other and well try to hold onto what can be the future. Tom was sitting here almost two years to the day after kabul fell and weve, as a nation, brought more than 70,000 afghans to this country, most of them are in limbo. A prime an example of how broken our immigration system is. Broken promises, broken, the shame that amanda mentioned. We all feel it. The veterans feel it. Tell me about your involvement and where we stand in terms of getting these individuals who did actually make it out, these afghans, the proper papers so that they can start their life and be welcomed here as they should be welcomed. Yes, so, just to start with. This is not just an example of why our immigration system is broken. This is an example how our congress is broken, how our entire system of government is severely damaged right now. This has broad bipartisan support. When you talk to them on capitol hill, they largely agree with you, but still, its not gotten done. Thats what makes it frustrating not just as a director, but a marine corps veteran, this is incredibly frustrating. This should have been done already. Where it stands right now, there is legislation out there. Recently, with the National Defense authorization act there was an effort to get this included in the Senate Version of the bill. It had broad bipartisan support, however, it was they cannot reach an agreement at the last minute so it did not go through so thats where we stand right now. Now, moving forward, and i will emphasize i will continue working on this because its the right thing to do. Its moral imperative and significant National Security implications for not getting this right. So we will have other opportunities. If an omnibus later this year early next year, theres a resolution and those are our opportunities. Those are our opportunities because they have this will have to be attached to a larger bill because the way that our politics is working right now, very few individual pieces of legislation are able to move forward. So were really going to have to attach it to a larger bill. So i want to know, first of all, what caused it to not be in the Senate Version of the ndaa. Whose fault is it . [laughter] im a journalist, i can ask these questions. Well, theres plenty of blame to go around. One of the issues we have right now, were still negotiating with both republicans and democrats. We are very much involved in trying to move this forward and as much as i would certainly like to go into why this did not why this was not included, instead of looking backwards and casting blame, i really think its important that we continue moving forward and the last thing i want to do is make our negotiations more difficult. As much as it would be satisfactory in the moment, as much as i have thought. Okay. Everyone can go and google, held this up and write to them. Mary, lets go back to the situation for these afghan women, the ftps and their families who are here and dont have asylum and dont have green cards. Tell me about what kind of work are they doing . How are they surviving . How are they supporting themselves . Give me some examples of the kind of work theyre doing and the kind of work they were doing before in the juxtaposition. I hope everybody noticed when they were talking about the female tactical platoon, the big smiles over their face, that made me proud to watch them talk about their work and what they were doing in afghanistan and i think one of the most striking things, you heard them talking how hard it was to start over and as an american soldier cannot even begin to imagine the difficulties that weve faced. One of the things im most proud of is watching some of my fellows csts and forgive me if i havent seen you, set up a network,sisters of service. While were knee deep in the evacuation and came up with an idea set up one u. S. Service member with one Afghan Service member and started off one cst with one ftp and kind of as the need has grown, weve had more people step up from all backgrounds. A shameless plug if youre interested in being a mentor or helping out with a ftp, and theres plenty of information about sisters of service. The onetoone relationship to kind of mentor our sisters very, very capable, but just not used to what its like to be in the u. S. , everything from how do i set up a phone plan and do the tasks that are simple for us that are just difficult for them. And if you think about what thats like to, you know, be a powerful soldier, a female. These are some of the most courageous and forgive my language. Badass sorry, mom, shes in the audience. To wake up one morning and the taliban youre fighting fiercely day in, day out are suddenly in charge and weve all seen the pictures of them in the palace, to wake up going from that powerful position and then the next day, theyre not nothing, right . We all know how powerful and incredible these women are how certainly to feel like everything was taken away from you. Mary, where are they working now . Theyre working at places like, you know, panda express, chickfila, were grateful theyve given them jobs, but so qualified to be in positions across the department of defense, you know, the different intergovernmental agencies. There is a need. We are in a recruiting crisis in the military and we have ftps seeking to join the u. S. Military and they have a need for them. The military wants them and hosted them at the pentagon and top leaders say they want them, want them to join, but every time we go to investigate without a green card, you cant join. Without the asylum paper work. Tom, why is this a National Security issue . Its a National Security issue for a couple reasons. At some point in the future were going to go to war again. Thats not a question of if, its a question when and where. Were going to need allies. Who is going to stand with us, if this is how we treat our allies after 20 years of war. And aljazeera came out with an article talking about the challenges of the afghans who stood beside us and who are in the United States are facing now and you can be certain that russia and china are talking about this as well. This is something thats really to their advantage. Its in chineserun state newspapers how it reveals the nature of the United States, we make promises and dont care of our allies. And whats dangerous about that, its our unique super power in terms of our standing in the world. Yes, we have a great military, but whats really our secret is our alliance system. That alliance is based on the trust that weve built up. Its based on our reputation. What were doing by continuing to not fix this problem, were undermining our alliances and the trust that weve spent decades building up. At some point, if it hasnt already, thats going to catch up with us, and going to hurt us and we need that now. And tom, what does the adjustment act say and do and what would it accomplish . It would essentially expand the eligibility of the special visas. When it was originally thought of, its really done within, with interpreters in mind. So, if you had a direct contract with the u. S. Government or with a u. S. Contractor. This would expand eligibility beyond that scope so it would make more veterans of the Afghan Military eligible. I mean, one of the problems is the ftps were not translators. So technically didnt fall under the special immigrant visa siv category because they werent, they were soldiers. So the act was not written for them. Thats correct. It was written at a time when we were still in afghanistan. We have not taken the necessary steps to update that law to reflect hard reality. So, they really need a waiver or they need this afghan adjustment act in order to fast track or even just keep moving there, their application. Right, if and when that becomes law, that would expand eligibility. So that they would be eligible siv and that green card. In fact, id like to just take a moment, if i could, and call a lifeline to renatia, because she is been working the past two years diligently, and not enough has been said about Paul Hastings and renatta, who worked as a lawyer at dhs for most of her career and how youve gotten 11 across the finish line in terms of asylum. Explain to us how the system is working, where the holdup is, and what do we need to understand in terms of how to fix this problem . The system is clearly not working. The so we applied for asylum for all of the ftps, now over one year. An order put out by the Current Administration, welcome with asylum, 150 days, thats what the Current Administration would endeavor to do. By law, theyre supposed to be adjudicating for 180 days, but for some extenuating circumstance. My opinion is that the current applications for the female tactical platoon are caught up in what is a background vetting nightmare that the multiple agencies that are involved in that process have not been able to remedy and fix in any way thats satisfactory, or that answers any of these. Which is so unacceptable. Because to even be on a military base in afghanistan. They have to be vetted by the fbi. And they have their biometrics and the taliban have their biometrics, why cant the u. S. Government take the biometrics and match them up and talk to the commanders and say there needs to be communication. There needs to be interagency communication to resolve this problem. I want to make a point that i think is important. The parole process and the temporary protected status process are not substitutes for a permanent statues grant, or the female members of the female tactical platoon and those do not provide permanent status in the United States the same way that asylum does and the act would. The government has reauthorized parole that cannot be a substitute for the kind of relief that we are asking for. So thats a bandaid. Patrol was used, humanitarian patrol was used at the time of the 70,000 coming to the u. S. Because it was such a race to get people into the country and so they used that humanitarian parole, but now two years later, its just dragging on as a bandaid and its not providing them the ability to work, to support their families, to go to school and get on with their lives. Thats right, jennifer. Mahnaz, what was it like, what have you heard from your sisters going through the asylum interviews . How were you treated by the u. S. Government . Like out of the doing an interview. My interview was short, maybe one hour. But the others talk about the interview and say our interview at least takes three hours. And they asked a lot of questions from us and one of them even complained that like the officer, the officers like because they because as a soldier in afghanistan we use weapons and didnt know how to use weapon or Something Like this, asked a lot of questions regarding these issues. Did they treat you with respect or one complained that they didnt respect me, but the others, didnt comment about that, but the interview very long. So adela, what do you think would happen at this point . The women, 40 women that were talking about. Its such an obvious case, but there are many others who dont fall neatly into a category. What are you hearing from the communities of the afghan families and how are they getting by . I think a lot of frustration and disappointment because keep in mind, i think post9 11 when u. S. s arrival in afghanistan was extremely welcome. We still call on the u. S. As our allies. And i do say im not the ambassador, but part of my job that i still carry regardless is really to keep the ties between the two nations as peoples because i know how warm everything had been when individuals like you tried to reach out and tried to make sure this bring those who were in danger to the u. S. And now were stuck in the chaos of paper work and processes. And processes were usually made to create things easier and not to create things more challenging and difficult. And it is a unique situation. It is a difficult situation and a different situation. And as theyre saying, i think for most of the afghans who have arrived. I think that it was an article that came out, not even 10 made it to asylum cases, so its really, really its painful. It is painful and keep in mind, this is a generation that came to the u. S. Out of choice and second, also really the bread and butter of society. It was the best in our country. It was one of the younger ones, the educated ones, Civil Society activists, the teachers, the judges and i think that as you mentioned, i think a comparison of how the u. S. Is treating its allies, but also, comparison of how other countries treated the afghan refugees had had recently left the country post august 15th in germany, in the u. K. And in canada and any other country and i think its except the u. S. Where were struggling. Explain that a little bit more, why are you struggling more in the u. S. . Whats the comparison that youre hearing from the community . Because no other country put them in temporary parole situation. Everybody welcomed as an immigrant to their countries and not talking about the third countries usually pakistan, india or iran or uae, humanitarian, or turkey. Im talking when its really the west and in europe and here i think its the pathway to permanent status in a country because once you have pathway to the permanent status, then thats where hope is more greater, correct. Thats where youre easily integrated into the society and you have a future for your children as well. Theres no clarity how long this extension of two years or where another two years happens and theres one more risk to this. I dont know if anybody has noticed theres a new narrative coming in the media, oiz of the outside of the media, and talking how good taliban are in the fight against, and a complication in the immigration status. As soon as your country is termed safe, then your status could be expired and you could be deported. And none of them can go back because its not only them, its their families and its the most riskiest job any of them have done. So i think, i really i feel like the afghan adjustment act is caught into the domestic politics of two parties and i speak as some as nobody in between, that both parties have good intentions and i think sometimes ive heard the who did what, but here we are, we are we really have to make a decision about the lives of more than 60,000 afghans who live in the u. S. And they want to have a Brighter Future and be like everyone else. And i promise you, they will prosper and then they will grow as we just help with one step. applause mahnaz, how would you describe the Mental Health issues facing this community right now, ftps. I think we cant talk about it in general. And you know, we came here like most of the afghans that are here, maybe small that didnt work with americans, but most of them, the americans for humanwise or femalewise or Something Like that. And they suffer u. S. Mission in afghanistan for 20 years and when they came here they had a hope of maybe like they get status here and then they get the status here and like they can, they have a future here. You know, like most of us, our families, they are back in afghanistan. And its real hard that you work for u. S. For more than 10 years or 20 years, but you dont have like any status here and because of these problems, we cannot focus on anything because the status if its the military, that they cant doesnt give us official job because we dont have permanent status here. And also, we cant bring our family here because they dont have status here. And more afghans, suffering from Mental Health, its hard for us. And something really is important for me regarding afghan act, because its expanded siv eligibility. My colleagues, my female colleagues and my male colleagues back in afghanistan, they cant come here. And there are like all of them theyre hiding from taliban, they dont have jobs, they dont have food. Everything from the male colleagues, female colleagues, what happens for us. Do u. S. Government have for us, we worked for them more than 10 years, 12 years. And its a bill called afghan act, and got passed and you become eligible. Thats really important to remember that while were talking about the 70,000 or the 40 who are here, there are many who served the u. S. Government who were commanders, highly trained, who were left in afghanistan and they are in hiding and fighting for their lives as we speak and this afghan adjustment act would create a pathway for them to apply legally through the siv program. I want to give everyone a chance to come and speak with our incredible guests who are here, the fpts. Before we finish our panel, mary and tom, what would you like to come from this evening tonight . So, i think whats most important we need people to let the members of Congress Know that this is important. Members of Congress Respond when their voters start telling them whats important to them. For too long, you had 20 years where america was at war, the department of defense was at war and that hes a difference there. Too long americans have not paid attention, americans have neglected this. Its well past time that more american citizens became engaged and more american citizens start engaging in the political process and letting their representatives know that this is an important issue and that they are paying attention and that this is a priority for them. Thank you. For me, i encourage you tonight. Weve got five members of the female tactical platoon here. Talk to them, hear about their stories, its empowering to here their stories and we can use help. Advocacy, the voice, spreading how incredible these women are and what kind of help they need. Funding the penn fen foundation has been incredible in helping us out, with rental assistance, Education Opportunities and just given up, you know, an opportunity to fund raise and to help these women, finding organizations like them and we also recognize that like you heard tonight, amanda said it wonderfully, these ladies, we have been able to stand beside them and theres a lot of afghan refugees. I know people have flown in from all over tonight. And find the afghan refugees in your community and hear their stories and stand by them, thats the biggest thing we can ask for tonight. Theres a website called sisters yes, we can definitely provide that. Come talk to me afterwards and theres also the sisters of Service Website which well make sure the sisters of service. Org or if you go to sisters of service. Org, if you reach out well be more than happy to help to provide addresses where they are and different ways to help, yeah. Sisters of service. Org. Well, i want to yes, mahnaz, of course. Just i want to cover about the challenges, that theyre faceening afghanistan. One thing thats really bothering me during these 10 years like female in military in afghanistan, they did have a lot of opportunity, they had a lot of that they could go and educated and go to the schools, college for free and like to a lot of english courses or i. T. Classes for female in the military. Thing that bothered me, ftps when they joined to the ft p they sacrifice their life. They sacrifice their time and they were so young when they joined the ftp and finish like Higher School and came to the ftps, but didnt have time to go to school. They didnt have time to go to college or like study english or like i. T. Classes or whatever. And now its time for them. To educate the ftp women. Exactly. applause i want to thank everyone for being here tonight. I want a special shoutout to a special friend who couldnt be here tonight, but a key mover behind this, mary boise, and she has worked closely with penn fed to make sure that these women not only got to america, but are being financially supported. So, lets i think we have a reception and i know all the women would love to answer your questions in person and also, andrea mccarron is going to come up. Oh, excuse me, andrea. Thank you. [applause] im andrea mccarron, the new president of the penn fed foundation. applause and a recovering journalist so i so appreciate the high caliber of journalism. You, jennifer and amanda are committed and what makes journalism great. So thank you. Okay, i will be brief. Lets please all be inspired by what we heard tonight, and act. We need to act. I mean, every single one of you to help educate the public, contact your mental of congress, to echo what tom and mary said. But we need to educate the public about this injustice. We need every single one of you to advocate for the female tactical platoon. Now, im proud that the chairman of our board is here tonight at cody, and he just said that having a conversation with me is like hanging onto a rocketship. [laughter] im hoping that was a compliment, ed. Well, i promise you, mahnaz, and 40 other female tactical platoon members in the country i will use every ounce of my energy to fight for you as you fought for this country and my family. Thank you. [applause] and one last thing, can i count on you for your advocacy, for your outreach . If you are, please, willing to join me, please stand up. [applause] and with that, thank you and good night. [applause]. [inaudible conversations] coming today on cspan. State and defense deptment officials it ever on the Security Partnership between australia,he u. K. , and the u. S. Before the Senate Foreign relatis committee. Live at 10 a. M. Eastern. Th live coverage continues at 2 30 p. M. When i am immigration and Border Patrol testify before a homeland curity subcommittee. The senate is back at 10 a. M. , considering nominations for the vice cir of board of governor of the Federal Reserve system. A final