--- title: "Save Our Allies reminds us the war in Afghanistan is far from over" description: "The final days of troops on the ground in Afghanistan ended with a suicide bomber taking the lives of 13 service members and over 100 Afghan civilians. Less than 30 days later, the United States news media had stopped covering the still on-going humanitarian crisis, appearing to forget those left behind. The final days of troops on the ground in Afghanistan ended with a suicide bomber taking the lives of 13 service members and over 100 Afghan civilians. Less than 30 days later, the United States news media had stopped covering the still on-going humanitarian crisis, appearing to forget those left behind." date: "2022-02-15" modified: "2022-02-22" authors: - name: "Jessica Manfre" job_title: "Coast Guard Spouse, Contributor" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/jessicamanfre/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/save-our-allies-continues-fight/" categories: - "Afghanistan War" - "History" - "Veterans" - "War History" --- # Save Our Allies reminds us the war in Afghanistan is far from over ![Left side: Soldiers in military gear stand guard near a large crowd of people sitting on the ground at dusk, with mountains visible in the background. Right side: A crowded interior of a military aircraft filled with men, women, and children seated closely together, with an American flag hanging inside.]() *Photos provided by SOA* The final days of troops on the ground in Afghanistan ended with a suicide bomber taking the lives of 13 service members and over 100 Afghan civilians. Less than 30 days later, the United States news media had stopped covering the still on-going humanitarian crisis, appearing to forget those left behind. Save Our Allies won’t let them. Founded by Chad Robichaux and his interpreter, its mission is to rescue allies, American citizens or Resident Aliens from Afghanistan and resettle them here in the U.S. Nick Palmisciano is a 1998 graduate of West Point and went on to serve six years on active duty as an Infantry Officer (and Ranger) before leaving the Army as a Captain. He’s also the Vice President and one of the four founding board members for SOA. Palmisciano was also one of the 12 men with SOA on the ground during the final days of the war in Afghanistan. ![]() *Photo courtesy of Palmisciano* His reaction to being asked to go to Afghanistan to help was disbelief, he said. Believing himself “too old”, Palmisciano said he left it up to his wife to decide. “That's where I learned my wife wants me to die,” he laughed. All joking aside, he was on a plane 36 hours later. The work was immediate. “Two hours after landing we were running outside the wire grabbing people,” he shared. Stateside, Sarah Verado was working through the manifests and clearing individuals through Washington. For her, the mission was personal. “I am a caregiver of a catastrophically wounded veteran,” she explained. The team worked for 10 days without sleep, hardly stopping to eat. “On the ground it was the worst thing I had ever seen. There were women throwing their babies over the wire,” Palmisciano said. - ![A group of military personnel and civilians are gathered near tan armored vehicles parked along a dirt road. Two men in the foreground, one in military uniform and the other in civilian clothing with a face mask, are crouched down examining items in an open black and yellow case. Other people stand or walk nearby, with a concrete wall topped with barbed wire running along the right side of the road. Mountains are visible in the distance under a clear sky.]() - ![A group of children and women, some wearing traditional clothing and headscarves, stand closely together on a concrete surface. Two soldiers in camouflage uniforms and helmets are visible nearby. In the background, there is a large crowd of people, industrial buildings, and mountains under a clear sky. A plastic water bottle lies on the ground in front of the group.]() - ![A group of people, some carrying luggage, are gathered on a concrete airstrip near a large military transport aircraft marked "UAE Air Force." Several armed soldiers in camouflage uniforms and helmets stand nearby. The aircraft has its rear ramp lowered, and the scene is set against a backdrop of mountains under a partly cloudy sky.]() - ![A large crowd of civilians, including men, women, and children, is gathered behind a group of soldiers in tan camouflage uniforms and helmets. The soldiers are facing the crowd, standing in front of a barbed wire fence and a guard tower under a clear sky. The scene appears tense and crowded.]() *Photos courtesy of Palmisciano* As he took off with a group of rescued allies on one of the planes, the bomb went off at Abbey Gate at Kabul International Airport. Shock, heartache and anger ran through the group, Palmisciano said, but they kept moving, unable to stop and grieve until those in their charge were safe. After returning to the states, the team was reportedly asked to stand up SOA as a nonprofit and continue the work. Over six months later, it is still working to rescue stranded Americans and allies. “I don't want to do this for the rest of my life, I want the mission to be complete. It's really challenging because the State Department and the administration – everything's politics,” Palmisciano said. “It’s unprecedented in American history and war, how long they fought with and for us. These are men and women who quite literally who not only went into the fight but jumped on grenades for us.” Though navigating the work has been challenging, he was quick to credit the legislators who’ve championed the cause of continuing the rescue work in Afghanistan. Though there was a [signed agreement]() of peace with then-President Trump and the Taliban in February of 2020, the fear of resumed terrorism still looms for much of the world. As for life for those left behind in Afghanistan, on-going reports of “forced disappearing” and human right violations have run rampant. “We worked with a host of NGO partners, neighboring countries and we were able to evacuate about 70,000 people \[[as part of a combined effort]()\] from Afghanistan,” Verado shared. “Here in the U.S. we were able to resettle them in a really dignified and meaningful way while also giving veterans an opportunity to find some healing around the trauma of Afghanistan.” Today, the organization continues to rescue those still trapped in Afghanistan while supporting resettlement here in the United States. SOA has also begun programming to support the troops who were on the ground during the humanitarian crisis and Abbey Gate bombing. “We're looking at making this more sustainable to make sure we can continue to evacuate. There are still Americans and allies in Afghanistan. We can’t leave these Afghan allies, our friends, those who served beside our military for the last 20 years,” Verado implored. “We know we can really weave them into the fabric of the veteran community. There’s healing in this work, for all of us.” To learn more about Save Our Allies, [click here](). ## Author Jessica is a clinical social worker, writer, and military advocate whose work for We Are The Mighty focuses on the lived realities of military service, especially the moments that come after the uniform comes off. Her writing centers on veterans, military spouses, and families navigating transition, identity, resilience, and healing, often blending clinical insight with deeply human storytelling. She covers leadership, service, community impact, and the cultural shifts shaping today’s military-connected population, frequently drawing from interviews with senior military leaders, influencers, and grassroots voices across the space. Beyond writing, Jessica serves as Director of MilSpouseFest and works as a Military Events Manager, leading national campaigns and large-scale events that bring military communities together. She is the author of Never Alone (Moody Publishers) and is currently developing her next book, After the Battle. When she’s not writing or advocating, Jessica can usually be found with a good cup of coffee in hand, tackling her ever-growing TBR, hiking with her dog, or spending quality time with her family. She is a proud military spouse of an active-duty U.S. Coast Guard member and draws inspiration from the resilience, humor, and heart of military life every day. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]()