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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&quot;outsidethewire&quot;tosavethosewhoneededhelp,workedwithlittletonosleeporfooduntilthehorriblemomentwhentheIEDwentoff,claiming13AmericanandmanymoreAfghanlives.<br/>　　Thisstorypullsnopunchesandsharesthegroundtruthofwhatitwasreallylikeinthosefinalhoursofthewar.