Scott Anderson

As a Commander in the United States Army Reserves, I witnessed, firsthand, extreme poverty in Afghanistan. While stationed at the Bagram Airbase, near the capital city of Kabul in 2004-2005, I led 550 troops in 38 different locations across the country. Most of my efforts focused on stability operations, working with civil affairs units to help the people make a better future for themselves and their families.

It’s difficult to accurately describe the level of pain and hopelessness I saw that was caused by poverty, disease, and hunger. However, I also observed the incredible impact American humanitarian relief efforts had on communities and the country as a whole. Imagine the gratitude we received when we drove trucks full of food and blankets into snow bound villages and to schools and refugee camps. Or the look on the Afghans faces when we showed up with 5,000 pairs of shoes that were donated from a shoe drive back home.

As the resources and trust we provided were absorbed, the people gained the hope and confidence to work toward a strong, legitimate livelihood. Not only did we help improve the lives of Afghans, but also through our work, we saw a dramatic increase in our own security.

-Scott Anderson