/3 As with every deployment it is the shared experience and those small moments away from daily pressures that contribute to the fuel to keep on going. I am acutely aware of many triggers as a consequence of those 7 months - Like many, Afghanistan has changed me forever.
OTD 10 years ago I was about to board a plane and depart Kabul, Afghanistan for the final time after 7 months in the Australian Task Group HQ. To this day I have nothing but admiration for the dedicated Australian's and Allies who I worked alongside with... 1/
2/...Every day as I walked past the photos of those fallen Australian warriors I was reminded that only my best will do; this moment of clarity brought a focus to my role to manage threat reporting as to ensure no more photos were added during my tenure.
@Dicker_JJ Keenan's Telegram and NSC-68 are two pivotal documents that shaped U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War. While Keenan laid the foundation for the policy of containment, NSC-68 marked a shift towards a more aggressive and militarised approach to countering Soviet influence.
"I present you the Soviet Ballistic Missile Submarine Red October" - A line from a superb movie. In reality the CIA knew far more about the Soviet TYPHOON class from the mid 1970s than Clancy could have guessed.
Thread on the CIA, Typhoons and spying on the Soviets...
OTD 2016. HKIA Kabul Afghanistan- one of the many experiences that define my professional career. I made friendships that endure today. The reminder that as I walked past the photos of those Australian's who made the ultimate sacrifice that only my best would do.