- Military
- Determining America's Role in the World
- Revitalizing American Institutions
In this episode of Frontline Voices, we sit down with John Moses, retired U.S. Army Sergeant First Class, Hoover Veteran Fellow, and co-founder of the Massachusetts Afghan Alliance. John shares his journey from a blue-collar upbringing in Lowell, Massachusetts, to serving in Afghanistan, and ultimately helping evacuate 68 Afghans during the chaotic 2021 withdrawal. We talk about the moral injury veterans felt watching the collapse, the shifting U.S. sentiment toward Afghan refugees, and how John is keeping the mission alive through community support and advocacy. His story is a testament to staying above the political fray, leading with compassion, and honoring the promises we made.
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ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
John Moses is a retired U.S. Army Sergeant First Class (E-7) with 23 years of service, including deployments to Afghanistan. A proud Hoover Veteran Fellow, John is the co-founder of the Massachusetts Afghan Alliance, a nonprofit supporting Afghan refugees and their families. In August 2021, during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, he helped lead a volunteer network that successfully evacuated 68 Afghans to safety. Today, John continues his advocacy work, building community events, offering resettlement support, and speaking out on the importance of honoring America’s commitments to its allies. He lives in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, and is also a partner in a data technology company.
“IRON” Mike Steadman is a former Marine Corps infantry officer, three-time national boxing champion, and the founder of IRONBOUND Boxing, a nonprofit in Newark, NJ that provides free boxing and entrepreneur education to youth. He’s also a professional business coach, brand builder, and category designer who helps underdogs and misfits, veterans, Black women, and those used to being “one of one”, launch purpose-driven brands and ventures. Mike is a Hoover Institution Veteran Fellow, where he sharpened his thinking around leadership, public policy, and the role veterans can play in solving some of America’s most pressing challenges. He currently trains CEOs, advises emerging brands, and helps underdogs and misfits build businesses and tell stories that matter.
