'We don’t have to deal with bureaucracy': How Fort Bragg soldier helps fellow Ukrainians
A Fort Bragg Special Forces soldier didn’t envision starting a nonprofit, but when Russians started bombing his home country in February he couldn’t idly sit by.
Dmitry, whose last name cannot be used due to safety concerns regarding Special Forces soldiers, came to the U.S. with his mother from Ukraine about 20 years ago.
He said that after six years working construction, he joined the Army in 2009 for better opportunities, starting out as a tanker followed by the infantry and passing the Special Forces Qualifications Course in 2014.
Dmitry is currently a Special Forces instructor.
“The way we started this nonprofit is I had a couple of Ukrainian national soldiers training with us, and when the war broke out, we had people going in closets to find bags of medical equipment and started collecting money to ship items back,” he said.
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After years of tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.
The Ukrainian Efforts Humanitarian Fund was created for the purpose of supporting humanitarian efforts in which Green Berets coordinate, work with, or otherwise support outside of their line of duty.
The fund was established when Dmitry and his wife Alena, who is also from Ukraine, wanted to help their former countrymen.
“My personal opinion is, obviously the U.S. government and NATO countries are trying to help, but what we’re hearing from the ground is that small nonprofits are doing most of the work,” Dmitry said.
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As Dmitry and his wife’s family are still in Ukraine, Dmitry's nephew and brother-in-law are currently fighting in Kiev along with thousands more to defend their homeland.
“I’m pleasantly surprised with the way Ukrainians are standing up,” Dmitry said. “There are civilians picking up weapons and fighting. It’s almost like World War II underground forces … They are fighting a larger military power to take back their land. I’m proud of my people”
Through his personal connections, his wife’s connections and Special Forces connections, Dmitry said he is able to hear firsthand what the top needs are for the resistance, whether it’s bullets, food, uniforms or tourniquets.
“We don’t have to deal with bureaucracy and stuff sitting in a storage facility,” Dmitry said. “We know our stuff is getting out there to the Ukranian soldiers and hospitals.”
From February: Fort Bragg soldiers deploy to support NATO in Europe amid Russian threat to Ukraine
He said the fund is awaiting its official nonprofit designation from the Internal Revenue Service. Its already received support from an established nonprofit in the Special Forces community — the Special Forces Foundation.
According to the Special Forces Foundation, the Ukrainian Efforts Humanitarian Fund has raised more than $12,000 to help Ukrainians.
Members of the local community have donated items like baby formula, feminine hygiene products, used military supplies, first aid supplies and non-perishable foods. Collection drives have been held at local businesses, churches and Woodpeckers events.
Dmitry said the Special Forces Foundation is handling the “money side” of things at the moment, while he handles the logistics of collecting items and shipping.
He said they are also working with another nonprofit that is focusing on sexual assault victims and providing birth control and Plan B, but he said there is still a need for sexual assault kits. Ukrainian lawmakers, prosecutors and Human Rights Watch have alleged that Russian troops have raped Ukrainian women and children during the invasion.
To support the fund, text GBHF to 41444.
Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fort Bragg soldier starts nonprofit to aid his native Ukraine
