A year after Afghanistan’s fall, a Marine veteran reflects on collapse

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A year after Afghanistan’s fall, a Marine veteran reflects on collapse
By Hope Hodge Seck
Aug 18, 11:31 PM
A U.S. Chinook helicopter flies over the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Aug. 15, 2021. (Rahmat Gul, The Associated Press)

August 2021 found Marine veteran Elliot Ackerman uncomfortably in two places at once.

Physically, the decorated former Marine Raider was on vacation in Rome with his wife and young sons, his schedule filled with sightseeing tours and dinners with friends.

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Lt Col Charlie Brown SSG Michael Noll Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Cpl Vic Burk SGT Charlie Lee PO2 Marco Monsalve SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth ] SSG William Jones Sgt (Join to see) SrA John Monette SFC Bernard Walko SPC Michael Terrell SMSgt Anil Heendeniya CPL Douglas Chrysler A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney GySgt Jack Wallace SGT Mark Anderson CPL LaForest Gray SGT Steve McFarland