Touch base with your military vets that served in the Sandbox.

[Randi]

My brother served in Afghanistan and my grandfather in Viet Nam.

The one thing they have in common is neither of them ever talk about their tours of duty. Not in any detail or at length anyway.

My brother seems different the last few days. Distant, sullen, maybe even irritated, it is hard for me to put my finger or it or choose a specific word for it.

My grandfather also seems a bit different, quieter for sure

I ask my grandmother and she said just stay "up", dont push, but listen if they choose to talk.

Then I read this thread and saw April's post and wondered how our leaving Afghanistan might "feel" like Viet Nam all over again to my grandfather.

I have hugged them both, told them I love them and thanked them for serving in the military and I am here if they want to talk, but they are not talking, to me anyway, maybe to each other.

 

[JShane]

Anybody reach out to Cush?

 

[Harrier]

I’ll echo what geetar said. Remember that there are are many of us who are forever grateful to those who served, even if you don’t see it in the media.

Speaking of the media, maybe also give a thought to the hundreds of correspondents who risked their lives to report what was going on thousands of miles away. Without them we’d have little idea of what’s going on, and many are still there at their own risk reporting on the collapse.

 

[drexal]

After a couple of military deployments to Afghanistan, I knew most of what we were doing there was a waste. It wasn't until I went back as a civilian contractor that I realized how bad it was. I spent three years with a program that trained the Afghan Air Force on how to fly and maintain their aircraft (A-29). It was painfully obvious to those who worked close to the Afghans that their work ethic and desire to defend their country was nowhere near sufficient. They would show up late, take long breaks and lunches, and leave as soon as they could get away with it. They would leave jobs half finished and we would clean up their mess. The contractors and US enlisted military on the program would forward issues up the chain of command, but the brass never wanted to hear that things were not going as planned. Instead, at least informally, we were expected to prop up their shortfalls. Also, the tribalism that exists in everyday Afghanistan was evident in their chain of command as well. Favoritism is shown according to family ties and certain people were allowed to get away with widespread corruption. There is zero loyalty to Afghanistan; only to their tribe. I makes me sad because I know a few (very few) Afghans that truly wanted to their country to be successful. But when I left the program, there was no indication that would ever happen. Apparently, they folded a lot faster than most people every thought they would.

 

[mtmuley]

Anybody reach out to Cush?

I bet he will be along. Probably processing this stuff. mtmuley

 

[SFC B]

I bet he will be along. Probably processing this stuff. mtmuley

Got comms today.....always open.

 

[Little Big Man MT Chris]

I’m upset and sad and I never went there , I have a real heaviness on my heart seeing the news the last few days , and pushing back to keep out thoughts , thinking about what the Taliban is doing to so many people over there right now is heartbreaking . GOD BLESS THE VETS and GOD BLESS our TROOPS

 

[davinski]

Yes. We all knew this was coming but I was surprised how much it bothers me still. Definitely lend an ear to those younger vets. Left there in '04 and out of the Army in '06. We should have left long ago but, holy crap, this withdrawal operation appears to have less planning than a cub scout campout. Did the state dept even know that most of the DOD already left? I picture some state dept staffer sending out a snapchat like "hey, you guys still there, hmu, we all need rides home."

I mourn for the Afghan people. We worked with badass Afghan warriors and met villagers and families who stole our hearts. But the Afghan politicians were always so corrupt they make ours look like saints. Probably just a byproduct of the fatalistic attitude bred by being overrun by the army of the month for centuries. I hope I'm wrong, but various warlords will likely start beating each other up again within 30 days. And how the average Taliban treats women...I don't even want to think about it. My one hope is that we've elevated the average standard of living to a point where the new honchos don't want to burn everything down. Everyone, even a bad guy, loves a warm house and flushing 5hitter.

 

[Sytes]

Sometimes, I find it best to let a buddy give a holler, text, etc... other times I shout out to buds. It's a feeling we all have with our friends involved. Always good to say hey!

Good thread reminder to all. Quality @T Bone .

War does it's damndest to not let go.

 

[p_ham]

We spent 20yrs trying to help those people. From what I saw, very few of them were willing to stand up for theirselves, their people, their families, their country. You cannot help a people who will not help themselves.

Should we have gone there in the first place? I don't know. I don't believe we ever got the truth from our government. Should we have stayed as long as we did? Hell no. This was a political war, plain and simple. It was payed in blood by those willing to do the dirty work on behalf of cowards in suits, hiding behind their lies and their money. Those who were consumed by greed and had enough followers to convince a nation of Patriots that their very way of life was in danger.

Those who gave their lives in this conflict did not do so to protect the freedoms of those back home, no matter where that may have been. They did not die for an ungrateful people in an unfamiliar land. Their sacrifices were made defending their brothers and sisters to their left and right. Those of us who made it through owe it to them to make certain they were not lost in vein. Love your family. Keep your word. Make tomorrow better than yesterday. Don't ever believe that those you have lost did so without cause. They fell so that you may carry on. Make them proud.

 

[NR_Hunter]

Welp, may as well laugh about it... You could easily change pen for bottle of water or any MRE item.

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Is pen15 supposed to be some kind of subliminal joke?

 

[Djfan]

Lost my favorite nephew there two years ago. He and I were very close.

Kind of pissed right now.

 

[Mountain Man]

This is one of the better articles I’ve read the past couple of days. I think US citizens (me included) have a clear blind spot when it comes to the notion of surrounding without putting up any fight. Our nation was formed via revolution less than 250 years ago and the sentiment behind fighting for our country is ingrained in our culture. It appears it is the exact opposite in Afghanistan where they seek local/tribe security and have zero allegiance to their country. Complete folly on our part to not recognize this drastic difference and continue to “hope” our vision would magically develop.

Opinion | Why Afghan Forces So Quickly Laid Down Their Arms

Opposing Afghan factions have long negotiated arrangements to stop fighting — something the U.S. either failed to understand or chose to ignore.

www.politico.com

 

[Rainer]

I knew this topic would come up. I did 3 stints over there and is something I want to forget. Someone on here asked who profited off this war? The military industrial complex profited, the politicians who kept voting to stay there. Who's to blame you might ask? The Pentagon, every commander since 2011, the NATO state departments who have lied about what is really going on there.

 

[rwc101]

One of the guys my BIL served with posted this on the Facebook today.

 

[Pagosa]

From the instant I stepped foot on the ground there I was sure of one thing. There was NEVER going to be a stable, democratic government there without our eternal presence. The next thing that became painfully obvious that those Afghans in the military and police forces were PAINFULLY inept. I served there with a Tier 1 special operations unit and we had a detachment of the absolute "highest level" Afghan forces. I would not have let them guard a lemonade stand in the suburbs FFS. I told folks then, and it has been shown to be true, is that the ONLY way to solve the human problems there is to turn the entire country into a sheet of glass.

For perspective, one of our teams was once laughed at by the wife of a high value target we had apprehended. When the terp and CST asked her why she was laughing she said that our approach was comical. That under the ROEs in place at that time (Obama, 2012) she knew we would have to turn him over to the Afghan after 2 weeks and he would be home in +- 6 months and back at it. She told us that if we actually wanted to change the country what we needed to do was to kill EVERY MALE over 5 years old......including her own sons. She had by that point the males had all been so severely indoctrinated there was no hope. Think about that one for a while, coming from a MOTHER.

War should not be conducted by those with no skin in the game- politicians. A very good read on the nature of conflict and application of force is the treatise "On War" by Clausewitz. I will never cease to be disappointed by elected representatives.

Amen Brother, thanks for your service

 

[338win]

Wasted my best years flying assaults and living in tents in that shit hole. Anyone who deployed multiple times and saw the trends knew how this would end. Unfortunately no politicians or generals will be held accountable for the trillions wasted and the people we lost with zero gain.

 

[TheGrayRider]

Pat Tillman 1976 - 2004. US Army Ranger. KIA Afghanistan. Never forget!

 

[TheNorthStar]

Afghanistan lacks the social cohesion to embrace democracy completely. 20 years? It would take 100 or more and no nation has the appetite, blood or treasure for such an occupation.

To the veterans who left some or all in that God forsaken place, I'm sorry, truly. You all have both my deepest sympathy and utmost respect.

 

[Little Big Man MT Chris]

Pat Tillman 1976 - 2004. US Army Ranger. KIA Afghanistan. Never forget!

View attachment 191600

My first college football game was in 1994 Ducks vs ASU , I remembered a guy with long hair flying around on the field , wasn’t until years later I realized it was Pat.