After the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, many U.S. service members and veterans continue to struggle with the meaning of their service. Several veterans told the Washington Examiner that the anniversary of the country’s fall to the Taliban in August is a particularly difficult period. Veterans Crisis Line data provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs appears to corroborate their statements. Calls, texts, and chats to the hotline increased from 52,581 in August 2020 to 71,353 in August 2023.
Thousands of post 9-11 veterans are dealing with deep moral injuries resulting from the botched Afghanistan withdrawal and the abandonment of our closest Afghan allies.
Marines described the tragedy they faced throughout the final days of the withdrawal, recalling the work they did to save American and Afghan citizens.