The Journey of an Interpreter

From the Frontlines of War to the Struggles for Safety

Nasirullah "John" Safi

Feb 03, 2025

∙ Paid

An interpreter helps U.S. Army 1st Lt. Alex Graves, a leader with the 2nd Platoon, Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, talk to an Afghan National Army commander with the 3rd Tolai, 3rd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 203rd Corps during a mission May 30, 2013, in Khost province, Afghanistan. (Common…

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A guest post by

Nasirullah "John" Safi

Nasirullah John Safi, a multilingual writer, journalist, and former U.S. military interpreter, shares stories of war and resilience. Based in Oregon, he authored Get the Terp Up Here! and Indispensable, with A Thousand Miles to Freedom coming soon.