It’s been almost two years.
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For those interested, my thoughts on, not just the withdrawal from Afghanistan but the close to twenty years that preceded it and what amounts to almost zero accountability for senior level military officers, elected representatives, and appointed bureaucrats who failed upward during that time are captured in a blog I wrote on 16 August 2021 titled “Imperial Hubris: The Great Game Revisited” and an article I wrote for TownHall on 23 August 2021 titled “A Time For Bold Adjustment: Fire The Generals.” Both can be found on the blog section of my website.
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From the blog:
I describe the American experience in Afghanistan as “…a failure that crossed party lines over four separate administrations, two Republican and two Democrat. As we watch the U.S. Embassy evacuation in Kabul and see images of the Taliban taking control of the country, to those of us who fought there it is more than a strategic failure; it’s personal.”
“This year, for the first time in U.S. history, one could have joined the military, served for twenty years, and retired while the country is still involved in the same war.”
“In what is accurately described as imperial hubris, the United States political-military establishment confused entry and initial resolve with victory. They were wrong; America’s sons and daughters paid the price.”
“Simply put, our elected officials and senior level military leaders were trapped by their own intellectual inertia, condemning us to eventual defeat.”
“Strategically, our leaders were not held to account for their blunders — in too many cases, blunders of epic proportions. Rather, they were promoted and eventually retired with full pensions to sit on the boards of companies making a killing in the world of government contracts; the military industrial complex is alive and well. As Lt. Col. Paul Yingling pointed out in his 2007 article A Failure in Generalship, ‘As matters stand now, a private who loses a rifle suffers far greater consequences than a general who loses a war.’”
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Study the past.
pleasure to tell my story & experiences through life @ the Aust Radio Comms Industry Assoc (ARCIA) dinner It gave me great opportunity to expose 3 fantastic organisations who support #veterans#firstresponders#familes@BoulderCrestPTG Frontline Mental Health& @InvictusAus
I am watching this on my way back 🇦🇺 if you would like 2 hear some amazing stories from some inspirational humans then please watch this Some of my amazing friends & family frm my 7 years in the #Invictus space Well done @wiseshow & @JJChalmersRM for what you do #HeartOfInvictus
20 years ago today, the last Australian peacekeepers departed Bougainville, Papua New Guinea.
On this day, we honour the 3,000 ADF personnel, police and civilians who served and those who lost their lives in the course of duty.
This is fantastic news. Well done to the new Repatriation Commissioner Glen Ferrarotto, kicking goals for #veterans with his feet hardly even under the desk!
https://t.co/uaFdP17eYT
@eamhale@AVNHQ Unless there is also change at RSL Australia then there is no hope in my opinion. But great article and I will always encourage yours and others vision
to the University of South Australia @UniversitySA (to the MATES program or any other activity) in the last 12 months. If this scope captures more than 20 pages of my personal information, I limit the scope to just the most recent 20 pages. Regards [Your Name].
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Final training camp for Team Australia before @InvictusGamesDE Sep 9-16.
It was great to see the team come together as one, the excitement was palpable and watching the grit and determination displayed was inspiring. Go Team Aus!
Video Credit: ADF
#IG23@DVAAus@abcnews