Veterans Reflect on Afghanistan Withdrawal, Four Years Later

On the four-year anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Abbey Gate bombing, veterans who risked their lives to rescue civilians in Kabul are speaking out. Dennis Price, a special operations forces veteran and founder of "Heroes for Humanity," worked to rescue many trapped in the newly-Taliban-controlled territory. He reflected on the disastrous Afghan withdrawal, remembering the failure that would haunt thousands. He emphasized that the stories of those affected are written in blood and will forever be remembered.

During the official U.S. withdrawal, Price’s group helped a civilian dual-citizen family escape Kandahar Province and reach Kabul. That family made it through Abbey Gate just before the bombing. Price then joined retired Force Recon Marine Chad Robichaux in traveling deep into Taliban territory to rescue Arabic-English interpreters. Price highlighted that despite system failures, people helping people is humanity’s greatest gift.

Robichaux, who led a large civilian rescue operation, stated that those left behind still weigh heavily on him. He expressed that it was an honor to work alongside many Americans who worked tirelessly to evacuate as many as they could. Retired Marine Mark "Oz" Geist also volunteered to help Americans escape Afghanistan. Geist's group, Shadow Warriors Project, used veterans’ expertise to charter a jet to bring Americans and legal noncitizens to the U.S., including children.

Geist stated that the withdrawal was a wound and that anniversaries like this remind us that sacrifice demands remembrance, and remembrance demands action. He believes that we owe it to those who fell and those still living in the shadow of tyranny to never look away, never forget, and never stop fighting for freedom.

A retired Navy SEAL, Jason Redman, was a member of "Task Force Pineapple," led by Scott Mann. Pineapple was a visual password used to safely transport hundreds of Afghan interpreters and families through Taliban-controlled areas. Redman emphasized that this was a volunteer effort, primarily involving special operations veterans, intelligence analysts, and government civilians. He added that the operation worked with the Biden State Department while remaining a civilian operation.

Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., used his military and defense contractor experience to effectuate his own operation after the fall of Kabul. Mills helped rescue Americans, including a family initially blocked by a Taliban checkpoint. He stated that he witnessed firsthand the failures of weak leadership that ignored critical intelligence and abandoned our people. He also expressed his faith in President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.