Refugees & Veterans Day: Don't miss these Idaho stories

On this Veterans Day, two local features highlight the ways veterans' stories and refugees' stories intersect in meaningful ways.

Tecle Gebremichael resettled in Idaho after spending years in a refugee camp. He went on to enroll in the U.S. Army.

"I want people to understand that we’re ready to lose our lives for this country. When a refugee who has been in the United States for only a few years signs up to make that commitment, it gives me a special feeling of pride," Tecle wrote in a guest opinion published by the Idaho Statesman.
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"This is a proud Veterans Day for me because my newborn son, Books, is just 16 days old," he wrote. "When I was living in a refugee camp, I didn’t know if I would survive, let alone become a father and a member of the Army in America."

Read Tecle's full message here

This week we also heard from Ava Steven, who told a powerful story from her childhood in Iraq, when she found herself hiding for safety face to face with U.S. soldiers. 

"In this moment, I just felt there is no difference between us," she remembers. "When it's time to (need) safety, we all going to look for safety."

Click here to listen to Ava's full conversation with Boise State Public Radio Morning Show host George Prentice, U.S. Air Force veteran David Manning, and Refugee Speakers Bureau Coordinator Salome Mwangi.

Click here to listen