
InthefinaldaysoftheAfghanistanWar,12veteransflytotheMiddleEastandspendthenexttendaysevacuatingasmanyAmericancitizens,permanentresidents,andspecialimmigrantvisaholderAfghanrefugeesaspossiblebeforethey,andtheAmericansandAfghanswhoservedalongsidethemforyears,runoutoftime.Anemotional,brutal,andhonestaccountofwhatreallyoccurredonthegroundinthewaninghoursofthewarthatdefinedagenerationofAmericans.<br/> SarahVerardo,thewifeofacatastrophicallywoundedAfghanistanVeteran,wantedtodoallshecouldtohelpthepeopleherhusbandhadfoughtforandwith,toincludehisinterpreter.ChadRobichauxdesperatelywantedtosavehisinterpreterAzizbeforehewaskilledbytheTaliban,ashisfriendshadbeenalready.Sotheydidwhatthemilitarycommunityalwaysdoesintimesofcrisis:theyleanedontheirfriends.Inshortorder,ateamoftwelvemen,mostofwhomhadnevermeteachotherbefore,hadestablishedaJointOperationsCenterintheUnitedArabEmirates.Hourslater,theywererunningflightsintoKabulonC-17sdonatedbyUAE,and737stheyprocuredthemselves.<br/> ThesemenknewtheclockwastickingandthattheUnitedStatesGovernmentwasgoingtoceaseevacuationson31August,sotheentireteam,ledbythreegroundteammembersthatweregoing"outsidethewire"tosavethosewhoneededhelp,workedwithlittletonosleeporfooduntilthehorriblemomentwhentheIEDwentoff,claiming13AmericanandmanymoreAfghanlives.<br/> Thisstorypullsnopunchesandsharesthegroundtruthofwhatitwasreallylikeinthosefinalhoursofthewar.