News and Views
March 29, 2019
In Amman, Jordan, a group of men formed a support group to cope with trauma they experienced as refugees. They are fighting to come to terms with being unable to work and support their families, which makes them vulnerable.
The Balkan country of ...
March 26, 2019
Tell us about your background.
Before moving from Baghdad to the United States in 2014, I spent much of my career working as a journalist in countries across the Middle East, covering election news and human rights. This included stories on emerging...
March 19, 2019
Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today welcomed Bishop Garrison as its next director of National Security Outreach and of Veterans for American Ideals. Garrison, who is an Army veteran and West Point graduate, recently served as interim executive...
March 18, 2019
by Scott Cooper
I vividly remember my change of command. I handed the guidon to my successor, and the work of the squadron continued—a unit where I had spent ten years of my Marine Corps career. I knew I would miss the Marines (I still do). I hoped...
March 7, 2019
Afghani interpreter Nabi Mohammadi earned his United States citizenship on the first of last May. He worked as a translator for U.S. Army National Guard units since 2011 but moved to Iowa in 2013 on a Special Immigrant Visa. Mohammadi’s friend, ...
March 6, 2019
by Jules Staelgraeve
Several years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting retired Air Force Colonel Eileen Collins after hearing her speak about her work with NASA. She was one of the first female pilots I ever encountered, and, at thirteen years...
March 1, 2019
Seventy-four years after Captain Lawrence E. Dickson was declared missing in action, the Tuskegee Airman was finally identified in November. This week, he was recognized by Brigadier General Twanda E. Young at a ceremony in which he was...
February 28, 2019
Our Leader Spotlights offer a glimpse into our diverse leadership: veterans who are continuing to serve their country and community in creative ways. Today, we profiled Teresa Kennedy, a 2016 distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a...
February 23, 2019
At the end of last week Congress approved four thousand additional Special Immigrant Visas for our Afghan partners through this fiscal year. The bipartisan effort highlights what we can achieve if we work together and stresses the importance of...
February 19, 2019
Washington, D.C.—Veterans for American Ideals, a project of Human Rights First, praises the inclusion of four thousand additional visas for allies that served alongside the U.S. mission in Afghanistan in Congress’s new spending bill. The measure...