Welcome to Episode 8 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Our guest this week is Bryan Stern, a veteran of the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. Bryan is a recipient of the Purple Heart medal, and his work has been praised by high-level officials throughout the U.S. government. Bryan is the head of Project Dynamo, a veteran-run organization that pulls at-risk individuals from complex situations. Project Dynamo has evacuated over 3,000 individuals from Afghanistan since the 2021 U.S. withdrawal, and has also evacuated 3,000 people from Ukraine in the aftermath of the Russian invasion.

In this episode, Bryan talks about his personal travels to Taliban-occupied Afghanistan to ensure that the numerous American citizens and green card holders who were left behind can return to their country. He also discusses his work in Ukraine to help those with ties to America, and others whose lives are in special danger in Ukraine, evacuate to safety.

Bryan and Beth discuss the aspects of each conflict that make operations in the two zones difficult and unique.  

Our episode concludes with a letter written by Ahmadi, whose name has been changed to protect his identity. Ahmadi worked for numerous foreign governments during the 20-year foreign involvement in Afghanistan, but none of these governments have helped him to escape the conflict. After multiple threats to his life, Ahmadi lives separately from his family and has run out of funds to continue paying for their expenses.

About Project Dynamo:

Follow Project Dynamo on social media on Twitter @Project_Dynamo1, Instagram @projectdynamo, Facebook @ProjectDYNAMOorg, or their website projectdynamo.org.

About the hosts:

Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan Allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.

Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.

For listeners in Afghanistan:

If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, [email protected]. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.