The loss of 13 service members in Kabul in August and continuing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan following the US withdrawal have been devastating to many service members, veterans, caregivers, and survivors. To address the growing and urgent mental health need, the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) announced an expedited series of more than $600,000 in mental health and wellness grants to get urgent help where it was needed.
Following the week after the attack in Kabul, BWF supported a community service event with The Mission Continues’ Operation Enduring Service. A group of veterans came together in LA to spruce up a daycare center. Two BWF team members and Marine veterans, Sam Holmes and Sean Ansted, volunteered with the group. They shared, “Being out on the road and connecting with veterans and grantees is what I love most about my job. But this event was something special. I was able to not be alone during a really difficult time. And even more important than that, I am so happy I could be of comfort to my brother and sister veterans who are also struggling just like I am.”
At Stand Up for Heroes, we had the opportunity to honor 5 Marines from Company G “Ghost Company”, 2d Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment who served at the Kabul International Airport during the withdraw from Afghanistan. While conducting Noncombatant Evacuation Operations at the airport’s Abbey Gate on August 26, 2021, Ghost Company lost nine Marines and Sailors, sacrificing their lives so thousands could be evacuated to safety. The efforts of Ghost Company kept the airport’s Abbey Gate open when many others were forced to close. As a result, the service members at Abbey Gate were able to process and evacuate over 30,000 people so they could be given a chance to live in freedom. It was our privilege to welcome these Marines into the front row at Stand Up for Heroes, to thank them for their selfless service.