On this episode, we feature Lieutenant Colonel Tom Schueman, a Marine Corps officer who served as a Rifle Platoon Commander with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines during a harrowing deployment to Sangin, Afghanistan in 2010-2011. There, he forged an unbreakable bond with his platoon’s interpreter, Zainullah “Zack” Zaki—a young Afghan who risked everything to support U.S. forces on the front lines.

A decade later, as Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in August 2021, Tom launched a desperate and determined effort to rescue Zack and his family before they were discovered. What followed was a powerful story of loyalty, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment.

Tom and Zack later co-authored the book Always Faithful: A Story of the War in Afghanistan, the Fall of Kabul, and the Unshakable Bond Between a Marine and an Interpreter. Tom also shares insights into his nonprofit, Patrol Base Abbate, which helps veterans find renewed purpose and community after service.