The U.S. withdrawal of forces in Afghanistan may have felt inevitable, but the goal to have troops back in the states by August 31 and a rapid return of the Taliban to the area have dominated the immediate discourse around the decision.
For a local perspective on the situation, WBOI’s Zach Bernard connected with Brian Mockenhaupt, who was deployed from 2002-2005 before turning to journalism on the ground from 2008-2011 for several national outlets.
He continues to write, while also working on earning a degree in clinical mental health counseling from Purdue Fort Wayne, which he tells WBOI is the culmination of his efforts on the ground both serving with the military and as a journalist.
This conversation aired in two parts, on August 26 and 27, 2021 on 89.1. This full version features anecdotes from Mockenhaupt’s time overseas. Their discussion began with a question on how Mockenhaupt’s service affected his journalism on the military.
