Fire Watch

A year ago this week, U.S. forces were preparing to depart Afghanistan after 20 years of war. It wasn't the first time that American troops witnessed the end of decades of conflict, trying to assess what it was all for.

Almost 50 years prior President Richard Nixon promised the next generation peace in the wake of Vietnam. Just as Vietnamese refugees clung to the skids of helicopters departing the Saigon embassy in the waning days of that conflict, Afghans desperate to escape the draconian rule of the Taliban tried to grab hold of American cargo planes, with several falling to their deaths.

Today, on Fire Watch, we have two members of the generations that fought those two wars speaking with us – one, a retired Marine Colonel who served in Vietnam and the other, an active duty Army officer who was in Kabul, Afghanistan in the final days of that conflict.

We asked them to reflect on those two campaigns, how they view them personally and how they assess the cost to service members and its impact on the military community. One has had decades to process what the war meant. The other, only a single year.

We asked the same questions about their experiences on fighting a seemingly never-ending counter-insurgency. We asked them some different questions too – because the wars in Afghanistan and Vietnam are not the same, but the endings of each are too strikingly similar to ignore.

The opinions expressed by service members in this episode do not reflect the views of the Department of Defense or the Department of the Army. They are reflective of the individual's own experience.

Appearing in this episode: Zach Fryer-Biggs, Army Presenter, President Richard Nixon, Lt. Col. Heather Reilly, Drew Lawrence, Mark Cancian, Congressman Seth Moulton, Rebecca Kheel

This episode depicts instances of combat.

Some sound effects courtesy of Zapsplat.com.

The PACT Act had a years-long, tumultuous journey to getting signed into law this week. It is meant to provide expanded health care for veterans affected by burnpit toxins and other exposures incurred during their service.

Veterans and their advocates camped outside of the Capitol for six days waiting for a moment that was years in the making and one that many of their friends and family – who died from toxic exposure – could not see themselves.

"Never again," one veteran said.

Appearing in this episode: Samantha Turner, Rosie Torres, Dr. Craig Postlewaite, Danielle Robinson, Jon Stewart, President Biden, John Feal, Drew Lawrence, Republican, Patricia Kime, Rebecca Kheel

What happened at Red Hill? Last year, fuel tanks at the Navy facility spilled thousands of gallons of fuel into Hawaii's water supply – sickening and displacing thousands of families from the Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam area. This is their story.

Appearing in this episode: Families, Military Leaders, Drew Lawrence, Kristina Baehr, Rebecca Kheel, Patricia Kime, Congressman Kai Kahele

How is the military making space troops? Fire Watch looks at the military's newest service, how the Space Force is building its own identity in the long-established shadows of the other military branches and how Guardians are trained, from cradle to star amid a renewed 21st century competition in space.

Appearing in this episode: CMSgt. Roger Towberman, Maria Pryde, Drew Lawrence, Thomas Novelly, Gen. John Raymond, Rebecca Kheel

Some sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com.

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