I was in Afghanistan with the USAF in 2007, 2009, and 2011. I was not in direct combat but I got to travel around the country quite a bit as a liaison officer for AF medics who were attached to Army units, mostly at small FOBs. She's right about 2009 being a bad year, especially that summer. Election was going on and Taliban and others were very active in trying to thwart it. Also that was the year of a big surge in US troop strength in Afghanistan. Canadians and Brits were very active in the fight, especially in southern Afghanistan. Lots of our vehicles and those of the ANA (Afghan National Army) got blown up that year by IEDs and VBIEDs, but the survival rate at least for US and NATO forces was getting better since we weren't using Humvees as much and instead were using the more well protected MRAPs. I don't doubt this young lady's story at all. I'm sure her PTSD is real. I saw very young AF medics (often female) who clearly were very stressed out from the constant attacks on convoys. We also sent some Air Force nurses to work with special forces in their efforts to win hearts and minds in the small villages. Even though they were older than the young woman in the video, they had no idea what they were getting into when they were sent to Afghanistan. And they were on their own, not part of some larger unit. Imagine being a female Air Force Captain and being told you're going to Afghanistan for six months. We can't tell you much about what you'll be doing, but you'll be wearing civilian clothes and you will be working with Army ODA (Operational Detachment Alpha) units. Many of them weren't too crazy about it, but they went and did what they were asked to do.
fortymile; Good morning sir, I trust you're warm, well and dry on what is a bit of a nippy morning up north of you all.
Thanks for your service and thanks for the detailed reply, I appreciate both very much.
As mentioned in my response in the Canada section, I somehow knew our government was treating our Afghan vets horribly, but I didn't grasp the degree to which they are trying to kill them with MAID.
The first bit I watched I simply thought, that may simply be the difference between most males and most females. Having seen all kinds of stuff people really shouldn't have to in fire and ems, its not really a big deal. But a fair bit of females would have issues with that.
OTOH a lot of our fellow females just kept trucking with these things. Like scooping up pieces of people, especially kids off the roadway to get all the parts in the same bag. Burned bodies. Bodies dead for days in the heat etc...
Thanks for sharing.. I likely will have a totally different opinion after we watch it.
Was busy last night watching let my people go which was also well worth the time.
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
rost495; Morning my friend, I hope you're all well wherever you're at whether in your winter or summer home.
For sure her combat experience and the resulting PTSD are just two subjects in the video.
As mentioned in another reply, even if one watches the last 5 or so minutes when she discusses MAID and how our government is openly advocating for vets to kill themselves.
She's done a TED talk on veteran suicide and that's one of the underlying themes of the interview.
I didn't get the impression once she was at all being "poor me", but rather articulating her understanding of PTSD in general and how it's dealt with, well or not in Canada's case.
I might have to watch it again actually, there's a lot to digest.
