Task Force Pineapple: Teacher, ex-Green Beret assisting Afghanistan evacuations

Task Force Pineapple dubbed a modern underground railroad

It's being called a modern underground railroad. A former U.S. Army Green Beret turned social studies teacher is now spearheading a mission to get people stuck in Afghanistan to safety.

CHICAGO - It's being called a modern underground railroad.

A former U.S. Army Green Beret turned social studies teacher is now spearheading a mission to get people stuck in Afghanistan to safety.

Zac Lois is working to get more than 2,000 people out of Afghanistan right now in what's been dubbed Operation Task Force Pineapple.

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The people he's looking to rescue are American citizens, Canadians and others all vetted and approved by the United States State Department.

Lois says he's not aiming to get them to the U.S., just anywhere aside from Afghanistan where they can be safe.

Group of American veterans band together to rescue over 1,000 people from Afghanistan

Former U.S. Army Green Beret Zac Lois talks about the mission of Task Force Pineapple and the importance of providing safe passage for Americans and their families stuck in Afghanistan.

This is not a boots on the ground mission. Lois and others he's served with are using their connections with Afghan people they worked with to try and get people past Taliban checkpoints to safety.

"I didn't think I could rally stand in front of a classroom this year and look my students in the eye knowing that I had the capabilities and skills to continue to help others in Afghanistan and I walked away from it. So I'm continuing to help out with the mission. I've taken a brief leave of absence until the mission is over," Lois said.

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Lois says they've already gotten 1,000 people out of Afghanistan to safety.