CHARLOTTE, N.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) - Retired Marine, Chuck McGregor, is still striving to serve his country and those who helped the United States over the last 20 years in Afghanistan. McGregor said he was trained to never leave a man behind, and continues to do everything he can to maintain that policy.
“As an advisor, we would say the phrase, 'Shauna, by Shauna,' which means shoulder to shoulder, and that's how we stood with the Afghans that we advise, that we served with, and this is just a continuation of that, for me,” McGregor said.
McGregor is in the process of helping more than 50 Afghan allies get out of Afghanistan. Many of them are translators, Afghan National Security Forces, and their families.
“I've been successful with one household so far, directly, and, and indirectly as well. So I've been able to connect people in their families with the resources that have been able to get them out," he said.
Two of the heads of households McGregor is working with are in the hands of the Taliban right now. But McGregor refuses to give up hope.
“You're only as strong as the Marine to your left and right. And you're always going to have that bond. And you signed up to go to some pretty tough spots and do some tough things. But you'll never be alone, you'll never suffer alone.”
McGregor isn’t alone in his effort to evacuate Afghan allies.
“I'm absolutely certain that there are 1000s of veterans right now that are in contact with Afghans that they served with to get them onto the list. So they have access to HKIA, and on to, you know, a freedom flight.”
His home office in Ballantyne has become a refugee help center and he doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon.
“I'm a connector between Afghans in the State Department, other veterans and Afghans, as well as what do we do once the Afghans get back here to the United States," McGregor said. "How can we connect them back with their community to help them be successful?”
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