In the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, thousands of Afghan allies—interpreters, special forces operators, and pilots—were left behind in a country where their service to America marked them for death. In response, a coalition of veteran-led organizations rose to meet the moment: The Moral Compass Federation.
Formed by a group of 16 Special Operations Forces-focused nonprofits, the Federation is guided by a simple principle: never leave a comrade behind.
“We have a moral obligation to find a path for those who so valiantly demonstrated their dedication to freedom, liberty, and the individual rights of all Afghans,” said Ben Owen, founder of Flanders Fields and member of the Federation. “America owes a debt, and Moral Compass is here to ensure that debt is paid.”
The Federation, backed by combat veterans with decades of service, brings together nonprofits with expertise in humanitarian aid, policy, resettlement, and direct extraction operations. These organizations, including Flanders Fields and Owen Army, are working around the clock to support Afghan allies still stranded behind enemy lines.
You can read the original article from Military Times here:
👉 Veterans helping Afghan veterans, allies after withdrawal
Since the fall of Kabul, Moral Compass members have helped evacuate thousands of Afghan partners. But the work is far from over. More than 20,000 members of Afghan special operations forces and their families remain trapped, hunted by the Taliban district by district.
Daniel Elkins, CEO of the Special Operations Association of America (SOAA), announced the formation of the Federation in 2021. Since then, the coalition has operated under the belief that this work is about more than missions—it’s about moral repair.
“The moral injury of Afghanistan’s fall has affected thousands of veterans,” Elkins said. “Moral Compass provides a safe outlet for those who continue to carry that burden.”
The Federation’s support doesn’t stop with extraction. They help newly arrived Afghan families settle into American communities, navigate legal systems, and connect with veteran sponsors who walked beside them in war.
As retired Brigadier General David Hicks of Operation Sacred Promise put it:
“Resettlement in the U.S. is another commitment we owe these men and women, and we will diligently work shoulder-to-shoulder with re-settlement organizations around the country.”
The Federation includes organizations such as Task Force Argo, Operation Sacred Promise, Task Force Pineapple, Operation Recovery, and Flanders Fields, among others. They are distinct from broader humanitarian groups in one critical way: they serve a combat-bonded community with the cultural knowledge and trust required to finish the mission.
“Shoulder to shoulder. Never above. Never below. Always beside.”
— Moral Compass Federation
As Ben Owen and many other veterans continue this fight from the frontlines of America’s immigration crisis, they’re also challenging the government to fulfill the promises made during war.
Owen Army stands firmly behind this mission and its message: We do not abandon our brothers and sisters.