In this episode, we discuss the following topics.
*Andres’ operational experiences before joining 2/1
*The organization and strength of Weapons Company, 2/1, at the beginning of its deployment with the SP-MAGTF-CR
*The company’s deployment prior to heading to HKIA
*When the Afghanistan mission first appeared on the company’s radar
*Managing Marines’ expectations in the run-up to deploying to HKIA
*Preparing to leave for HKIA
*Weapons Company’s first day at HKIA
*The company’s initial taskings
*Andres’ reaction to the news that Coalition forces would work with the Taliban
*The challenges of commanding a dispersed company
*Andres’ experiences at Abbey Gate before 26 August
*Interacting with the many Coalition forces at Abbey Gate
*How often Andres used the tools and concepts in MCDP-1 and MCDP 1-3
*Receiving messages from individuals and interest groups in the US asking for help evacuating people, and how these affected operations
*Some of the challenges Andres and his Marines experienced at Abbey Gate
*Two specific instances where Andres and his Marines helped evacuate Afghan children
*What Weapons Company and Andres were doing on 26 August
*Weapons Company’s role in the demil process at Kabul
*What Andres observed in his Marines and himself after returning to Kuwait
*His advice on how to talk to leaders about harrowing experiences
*The use of cell phones at HKIA
*Andres’ interactions with US State Department officials at HKIA
*The logistics challenges of HKIA
*The discipline of Andres’ Marines at HKIA
*The most frustrating and rewarding aspects of the HKIA experience
*Shifting between a combat mindset and a humanitarian mindset
*The most challenging decision Andres made at HKIA
*Where Andres performed well as a decision-maker and leader HKIA and where he could have performed better
*What lessons he took away from HKIA and how those might apply in the context of FD 2030
*Tactical decision game as tools to prepare Marines for operations like HKIA
Link
"Witnesses to the End" by Helene Cooper and Eric Schmitt, New York Times, 7 Nov 2021