Courtesy Photo | Baran “Rainman,” a former Iraqi linguist, and then 1st Lt. David Henderson, a...... read more read more
FORT BLISS, Texas - For most of us, the idea of living in a country where the ousting of a dictator formed the catalyst for a fractured populace, and sectarian violence, was only as real as the coverage found in national news.
For Iraq’s citizens, however, that reality became a way of life for nearly ten years. During that time, some Iraqis fled, some took to arms, and some used their knowledge to aid the U.S. fight for peace and democracy throughout Iraq.
Fully understanding the immediate dangers of assisting U.S. troops, thousands of local nationals bravely placed their lives at risk in an attempt to quell the violence and terrorism that plagued their homeland.
Among those individuals was a man who, guided under the moniker “Rainman,” spent nearly four years helping bridge the communication barriers between Americans and the Iraqi culture.
Using his real name as inspiration for the moniker, Baran, which in Kurmanji Kurdish literally means “rain,” left his job as a gold designer in 2008 to begin working as a linguist for American forces.
“I wanted to promote democracy, transparency, and most importantly, encounter corruptions in Iraq which escalated after the invasion,” said Baran.
Not more than a year later, Baran was assigned to work alongside the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division in Mosul, a city caught in the crossfire of heavy political and sectarian tensions.
Baran’s interactions with the brigade resulted in a professional and personal relationship with then 1st Lt. David Henderson, a psychological operations officer attached to the unit.
“It was his charisma, he’s a very happy guy and was happy to be there,” recalled Henderson about his initial impression of Baran. “He was someone you could always bring work to.”
Although he was a local national with no formal college education, a self-taught Baran mimicked the proficiency of linguists who had spent 20 or 30 years in America, said Henderson, now a captain and planning officer assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division.
Throughout the course of the deployment, “Rainman” performed a multi-faceted role, assisting ground forces on missions and translating briefings between top generals from both U.S. and Iraqi forces.
His direct approach and intuition allowed the unit to establish trust with local leaders, and often eliminated the need for customary formalities, said Henderson, a Philadelphia native.
“Because of that, we were able to get past certain layers pretty quickly,” he said. “In America, we can cut to business pretty quickly. But a lot of times in the Arab culture, you have to build trust.”
“Rainman was just a good, solid linguist,” he continued. “He helped my mission – our mission – and contributed just as much as any of my teammates did.”
As Henderson’s tour entered its final stages, Baran approached him with a unique request – to sponsor him for a visa that would allow him to permanently reside in America.
Under the Department of State’s 2008 Special Immigrant Visa program, Iraqi nationals, working on behalf of the U.S. government for a period of one year or longer, were eligible to apply for an official visa to the United States.
“I don’t know if there is any one thing I can say that would make Rainman deserve to come to the States,” said Henderson. “The mark of any proficient soldier is not to do one thing well, but to do it well at a consistent excellence - and that’s what Rainman did.”
“He worked very, very hard for us and met his end of the bargain,” Henderson continued. “I felt like it was time for us to meet ours.”
After receiving Henderson’s highest recommendation, Baran began a complicated two-year process of endless paperwork, interviews, and bureaucratic red tape that offered no guarantee when, or if, he would receive his golden ticket to the American Dream.
Then, in 2011, after competing against thousands of other applicants, Baran was approved for his visa, signifying a moment that would not only change his life, but also the lives of others.
Leaving behind nine brothers and sisters, the 34 year-old Iraq native placed his first steps on U.S. soil last Thursday in New York City, our nation’s historical epicenter for immigrants.
Together, with the help of several organizations and a successfully transitioned former interpreter, Baran will spend the next six months familiarizing himself with the American culture and organizing his future endeavors, ones that he hopes will allow him to continue serving the United States.
“My ultimate ambition is to join the U.S. Army as an enlisted soldier and be an American citizen,” said Baran.
Although his opportunities for becoming a soldier are uncertain at this time, the possible setback won’t stop him from pursuing other future goals, like obtaining a political science degree or working with overseas exports between Iraq and the U.S., said Baran.
“Whether you subscribe to this area of mutual interest, the cultural and economic ties that will be created by Rainman coming to America are going to help Iraq and the U.S. to continue their partnership years down the road,” said Henderson.
“Rainman is just one of those keys in the enduring partnership of our two countries.”
| Date Taken: | 05.01.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 05.04.2012 11:35 |
| Story ID: | 87884 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 583 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Coming to America: Former Iraq linguist receives special visa for aiding US forces, by MSG Brandon Bednarek, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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