After nearly two decades, the United States ended the War in Afghanistan in a way that left many of its veterans wondering whether it was worth it.
Approximately 3,500 American and allied troops lost their lives in the war before the U.S. left the country and the Taliban once again gained control of Afghanistan. Many veterans describe feelings of fear and grief thinking about what will happen to the Afghans they formed relationships with and to the progress they tried to help Afghanistan make.
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Sgt. Leroy Petry, a Medal of Honor recipient, told the Washington Examiner in an interview, “I think that was the hard part was we worked along, some of us worked alongside Afghan nationals that were excited and happy that they were moving into a new future and getting away from the Taliban structure. And they were having a little bit more of a freedom and a better life in their eyes.”
“The good on the ground that they didn’t show you in the media” is what “kept me reenlisting,” he said, specifically citing “women being allowed to get an education” and “schools being built.”
Petry, who is also working on an initiative to help thwart veteran suicides, was not the only veteran to express sadness for the gains in gender equality and other markers of social progress that will be jeopardized by the Taliban’s return to power.
Maj. Donald Vandergriff, a retired Marine and Army officer, told the Washington Examiner, “How do we know we made a difference? Because if we didn’t make a difference, you wouldn’t hear about soccer teams fleeing. You wouldn’t hear about women’s robotic teams fleeing. If there was no real difference between what they had and what they’re coming [sic], and that we made no difference, there would be no change. No one would be fleeing.”
The strong emotions from veterans have resulted in more than 35,000 calls to the Veterans Crisis Line between Aug. 13 and Aug. 29, according to Veterans Affairs data provided to the Washington Examiner. This time period coincides with the U.S. military and coalition forces’ evacuation of more than 120,000 foreign nationals and Afghan allies who could be at risk under the Taliban regime.
The VA analyzes changes in call data volume by comparing the day of the week and month with the previous year, a spokesperson explained to the Washington Examiner. There were approximately 2,300 more calls during this year’s two-week period than the year prior, accounting for a roughly 7% increase from year-to-year, according to Dr. Matt Miller of Veterans Affairs.
Despite the high volume of total evacuations, which were mostly of endangered Afghan nationals, the State Department said it believed that most of America’s partners in Afghanistan were left behind.
GOP Rep. Mike Waltz, a retired Green Beret who was deployed to Afghanistan, said the situation in the country “pains my soul” and explained that “it sends me somewhere on the spectrum between rage and grief at any given moment.”
“Of course, so many are wondering, particularly the Gold Star families, of what was it all for,” he said. “I mean, we’re heading into the 20th anniversary of 9/11, and we’re back where we started, but those of us who know the region know we’re actually worse than where we started.”
Petry is working with Frank Larkin, a former Navy SEAL and Secret Service agent, to lead the efforts for a “National Warrior Call Day,” a specific day to promote veterans reaching out to each other.
Even the upper levels of the military have expressed strong emotions emanating from the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the way it occurred, including the bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport, where 13 service members and more than 170 Afghan civilians were killed last week.
Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said earlier this week that “we are all conflicted with feelings of pain and anger, sorrow and sadness, combined with pride and resilience.”
“There are no words that I or the secretary or the president or anyone else will ever do to bring the dead back, but we can always honor them. And one thing I am certain of: For any soldier, sailor, airman or Marine and their family, your service mattered and was not in vain,” he added.
Other veterans, Vandergriff included, also expressed displeasure with Milley and the upper levels of the Department of Defense for going along with President Joe Biden’s full withdrawal and for a seemingly limited amount of accountability.
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Retired Lt. Col Bart Kemper told the Washington Examiner “there was no reason to think” that if “you take away all American support,” things wouldn’t change in Afghanistan, adding that “a lot of what we’ve seen in the last few months is contrary to the best practices we were taught.”
Each of the veterans who spoke with the Washington Examiner urged other veterans who are feeling isolated or upset to contact the VA’s crisis hotline.
The VA is starting a new awareness campaign for the month of September (which is Suicide Prevention Month) to urge veterans to reach out, hear others’ stories, be prepared, find resources, and spread the word in an effort to “act now” so they can “prevent Veteran suicide later.”
