In honor of Black History Month, Army veteran and VFAI leader Mac McEachin, reflects on exemplary service amid profound prejudice. McEachin shares the stories of Staff Sergeant Clifford Chester Sims and Colonel Fred Cherry, two men who made brave sacrifices for our country in the face of injustice. “They served our imperfect nation, and they made it better, stronger, and more just...They aspired to a more perfect world, where patriotism, heroism, and honor know no race, color, or creed.”

The Army has awarded Medals of Heroism to three JROTC students who were killed while selflessly defending their classmates from a gunman last week. The Medal of Heroism, awarded to students Peter Wang, Alaina Petty, and Martin Duque, recognizes JROTC cadets whose achievements “involved the acceptance of danger and extraordinary responsibilities, exemplifying praiseworthy courage and fortitude.”

This week, in a Washington Post op-ed, Denis McDonough tells us why we must restore U.S. leadership on refugees and how Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s trip to Africa is an opportunity to do just that. Refugee-hosting nations asking why they should continue shouldering the burden of large refugee populations if the United States is unwilling to take even a small number. To avoid humanitarian and security threats, the America should provide more assistance and refuge for a small number of the most vulnerable, McDonough argues.

Last February San Diego County had resettled over one thousand refugees. This year, only 40 thus far. The low arrivals are partly attributed to families still waiting in refugee camps even though they’ve finished the vetting process. President Trump ordered a refugee cap of 45,000 refugees for fiscal year 2018, however, if the United States continues the rest of the year at current arrival levels, the total number of resettled refugees is likely to end up around only 20,000. 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services decided to make a major change to its mission statement.  Late yesterday, the agency removed a passage from the statement that describes the United States as “a nation of immigrants.” USCIS gave no specific explanation for the decision to drop the phrase. Director of refugee protection at Human Rights First, Eleanor Acer, commented: "Our nation is one built by immigrants—removing this language does nothing to change that fact…”

On February 16 a former CIA chief of station added his firsthand experience to the immigration reform debate. Daniel Hoffman, who had tours of duty in Middle East and South Asia war zones, explained that inclusion both makes our nation safer and gives us a competitive advantage: "Socially and ethnically diverse groups enhance creativity, innovation, and performance...Our differences make us stronger defenders of our core ideals of freedom, liberty, and democracy."

This past January, Frank Joseph Anderson Jr., 63, of Minnesota, passed away. Mr. Anderson was a veteran who served in five different wars and a man who sought to help the desperate and disempowered. His achievements include facilitating the evacuation of 60,000 refugees from Cambodia and establishing a creative supply route for fuel to help himself and refugees survive winter in Sarajevo.

The moment 19-year old Hardy Jabbar agreed to serve as an interpreter for the U.S. military in Iraq, he became a marked man. Snipers collected rich bounties murdering interpreters, and insurgent forces distributed fliers specifically naming those working with U.S. forces. Fortunately, the Kurdish interpreter found safety on U.S. soil in 2015 after applying for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV). As we reflect on Hardy’s courage, we cannot forget that tens of thousands of interpreters in Iraq and Afghanistan  are still waiting. And while they wait, their numbers are dwindling: “We’re losing one every 36 hours in Afghanistan due to retribution,” reports Matt Landis of No One Left Behind.

Lt. Ismael Tounkara came to the United States in 2004, fleeing turmoil in Guinea. Within six years he learned English, earned a college degree, and joined the Navy. Tounkara risked it all and worked hard not just for himself, but to give his family back home a better life. His mother shared that they might still be eating one meal a day if Tounkara had not left everything behind and fled to the United States. Tounkara reflects, “To be thankful is to recognize and be grateful—to look at things with great concern and care—to embrace things much larger than yourself…We all have the ability to succeed in life, to do the right thing and to make choices to make our world a better place.”

Refugee of the Week: In 1972, Daulat Sthanki, a refugee from Uganda, arrived in New Orleans with a single bag. Daulat, a former small-time jukebox repairman, is now a multi-million dollar American businessman, investor, and developer. He shares, “We are all human beings. And human beings should help other human beings...I’m happy that I’ve contributed to this country. I did not take anything for granted.”