# Former Intel Officer Saves Interpreter



## goon175 (Sep 9, 2013)

I was able to get to know Matt Zeller pretty well as we attended the EBV program together. He has been working to get his 'terp, who saved his life, a U.S. Visa ever since the Taliban began to threaten his life for cooperating with the U.S. Matt has been aggressively pursuing this cause for two years now, and after 100k signatures were gathered on change.org, he now has his 'terp on the way back. 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/0...ldier-gets-long-awaited-visa/?test=latestnews


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## Dame (Sep 9, 2013)

YES! I had that petition on my FB and Twitter pages and was tweeting admonitions like crazy to the State Dept.
So glad to hear he's on his way out of there.

P.S. Saw it on Dakota Meyer's feed. If it weren't for him making it known, I don't know if it would have happened.


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## goon175 (Sep 9, 2013)

Just talked to matt, and he said that the law that allows these types of Visa's is set to expire in a month, and congress has no plans to renew it. Apparently all current applications will be cancelled if the law expires. So, the fight is not over...


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## goon175 (Sep 9, 2013)

Heres the petition to extend the law:

https://www.change.org/petitions/co...for-interpreters-who-helped-us-troops-in-iraq


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## galafinaster (Sep 9, 2013)

Awesome article. That man stood up for more than most American "civilians" are willing to stand up for, something he believes in. He deserves this and will use it better than most that are born with it ever will. Good shit.


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## Dame (Sep 9, 2013)

goon175 said:


> Heres the petition to extend the law:
> 
> https://www.change.org/petitions/co...for-interpreters-who-helped-us-troops-in-iraq


On it. Posted to FB and headed to Twitter.


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## goon175 (Sep 9, 2013)

He tells the story behind saving his terp here


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## CQB (Sep 10, 2013)

I'm hoping he's successful. I think a group of terps and their families were allowed here from Iraq.


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## AWP (Sep 10, 2013)

I have to wonder how many Terps will be without a chair when the music stops (or were without one after Iraq).


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## enceladus (Sep 10, 2013)

I used to be directly involved in this process.  The author of that article is dead right that "thousands of applications for the visas are stuck in bureaucratic limbo."  The number of security checks and levels of approval needed were ridiculous.  It was a helpless feeling knowing guys just like Shinwari would never make it to the US.


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## Salt USMC (Sep 10, 2013)

And this is just PART of the reason why we need immigration reform.


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## Chopstick (Sep 10, 2013)

Beautiful story.  Petition signed!


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## goon175 (Sep 10, 2013)

Matt will be on Fox and Friends tomorrow morning at 0830 EST to talk about this


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## Brill (Sep 10, 2013)

Where's the story of how the employee saved the MI officer's life? Not trying to be a jerk but missed the details.


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## goon175 (Sep 10, 2013)

I guess he didn't include that in his write up. I'll ask and see if he will put something together.


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## enceladus (Sep 16, 2013)

Similar story, this one about Afghanistan, written by MOH recipient Dakota Meyer.



> Four years ago, a bleeding Afghan interpreter, Fazel, staggered out of an ambush in Ganjigal Valley in eastern Afghanistan. Trapped inside the valley were four Americans. Asked to help rescue them, he said, “I have a wife and baby. But I will go back.” Fazel returned to the battle, killed several Taliban fighters and carried out the bodies of the fallen Americans.



Four years later, after direct intervention from Gen Dunford, he got his visa.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...f1e1b6-1bbf-11e3-a628-7e6dde8f889d_story.html


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## enceladus (Sep 24, 2013)

Looks like the State Department is trying to get Shinwary's visa back....after he received it and sold all of his possessions.



> The Afghan interpreter who finally received a visa for a new life in the U.S. could have it revoked after only two weeks -- and has gone into hiding amid fears he and his family have become targets of the Taliban.
> 
> Janis Shinwary already had quit his job as a translator for the U.S. military stationed in Afghanistan and sold all of his family’s possessions in anticipation for moving stateside. But the process to obtain the visa, which already put him and his loved ones in harm’s way, has apparently stalled with no explanation from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.



http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/2...oxnews/national+(Internal+-+US+Latest+-+Text)


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## Marauder06 (Sep 24, 2013)

...and guess what's one of the things that's going to be affected if/when the next government shutdown kicks in?  Passports/visas.


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## Chopstick (Nov 1, 2013)

Some good news! 
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/3...finally-arrives-in-us-after-long-visa-battle/



> The Afghan interpreter who saved the life of an Army intelligence officer and became a target of the Taliban for his trouble has finally arrived in the U.S. to start a new life, after a long battle to win a special visa.
> 
> Janis Shinwari arrived at Reagan National Airport in Washington late Tuesday night, where he was heartily greeted by Matthew Zeller, the Army soldier who says he owes his life to Shinwari. Zeller campaigned tirelessly for a special visa reserved for translators who put their lives on the line for U.S. military personnel. The visa was finally approved last month, but then mysteriously pulled, according to Zeller.





> "I'm feeling very happy," Shinwari said. "Now we are in the U.S. and we will have a good life. No fear of the Taliban. No fear of sending my children to school."


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## goon175 (Dec 30, 2013)

A follow up from Matt's Facebook page:



> My friends,
> 
> We Did It! We were able to get Janis and his family to America, where they now safely reside with me just outside of Washington, DC. Since arriving in their new home, Janis and his family have had some incredible experiences.
> 
> ...


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## CQB (Dec 30, 2013)

That's great news & looks to be more of it too


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