After the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, many U.S. service members and veterans continue to struggle with the meaning of their service. Several veterans told the Washington Examiner that the anniversary of the country’s fall to the Taliban in August is a particularly difficult period. Veterans Crisis Line data provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs appears to corroborate their statements. Calls, texts, and chats to the hotline increased from 52,581 in August 2020 to 71,353 in August 2023.
The anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal can be particularly painful for service members who witnessed the violence and chaos that accompanied the final weeks of evacuation operations at Hamid Karzai International Airport. No data have been collected to demonstrate their unique pain, but their stories attest to their need for support.
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U.S. Army Spc. Connor McMurray told the Washington Examiner he was driving outside Fort Drum, New York, on the one-year anniversary of the withdrawal when a song from his playlist sent him “right over the edge.” Overcome by feelings of isolation and memories of the horrors he witnessed at the Kabul airfield, the U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division soldier stomped on his accelerator. When he reached 120 mph, McMurray veered off the road.
McMurray said he was lucky to be “able to come out on the other side” of his suicide attempt. He recalled the pain of standing for the memorial of fellow 10th Mountain Division soldier, Staff Sgt. Angel Gerardo Green, who died by suicide just weeks after returning from Kabul. McMurray said that after he reached out for support, his first sergeant held a barbecue to bring veterans of the withdrawal together. When the evening of sharing stories and telling jokes ended, McMurray “went back to forgetting” Kabul.
When McMurray left the Army, he pushed away his pain by drinking until he blacked out every day for a month. Then, a friend from the 10th Mountain Division sent McMurray an Instagram post from Operation Allies Refuge Foundation about another veteran’s experience of the evacuation. Ten minutes later, McMurray was on the phone with OAR Foundation founder Joe Laude, who served with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment during the withdrawal. Now McMurray has purpose as part of OAR Foundation, which has around 70 volunteers working to promote healing from moral injury related to evacuation operations.
Laude told the Washington Examiner that “all that residue, all the emotions [and] the guilt” withdrawal veterans feel as a result of carrying out orders that went against their moral code “carries over“ when their service ends. Not all veterans of the withdrawal are ready to talk, or think, about their experiences, explained OAR volunteer Ansel Rubin, who served as a corporal in the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment in Kabul. Rubin believes that establishing support systems such as the OAR Foundation is vital for the future when the withdrawal becomes “the only thing [veterans] can think about.”
Withdrawal veterans indicated that the chaotic nature of the Kabul evacuation has created hurdles to finding support and mental health resources through the VA. Some veterans still lack campaign medals or ribbons, or other proof of their service in Kabul, within their discharge paperwork.
There is also confusion as to whether Kabul was designated a combat zone during the evacuation and if this affects veterans’ ability to receive a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder. Rubin said he was informed he was not taking part in combat operations, though leadership later “got extremely political about the combat aspect … asking us exactly how close did a round hit near you [and] how many rounds did you fire back.” Kyle Tillman, a hospital corpsman first class during the withdrawal, said he received combat pay while in Kabul, but that “awards were not given with a ‘C’ for combat unless you were directly injured or on site of the explosion [at Abbey Gate].”
VA press secretary Terrence Hayes told the Washington Examiner that combat service is not necessary for a PTSD diagnosis. Hayes said there is “provision to encompass military service not involving direct combat but where a potential for hostile military or terrorist activity exists,” and that “claims processors may request an examination if there is credible supporting evidence that the claimed stressor occurred, and evidence (to include lay statements) that indicates the veteran currently suffers from symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of PTSD.”
Hayes said the VA is eager to help “veterans who deployed to Afghanistan, including those who assisted with the evacuation operations at Hamid Karzai International Airport … access all of VA’s comprehensive mental healthcare offerings.” He noted that veterans can qualify for resources through a database that tracks deployments, the receipt of medals or ribbons, or personal testimony given by the veteran or a close friend.
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Hayes explained that “PTSD can develop days, months, or even years after the occurrence of a traumatic event.” While he stressed that veterans should apply for benefits and care, he also urged those with “an urgent need for mental healthcare” not “to worry about enrollment,” but rather “to come to VA” for cost-free services.
Veteran-run communities have helped Afghanistan withdrawal veterans heal after their service, but the confusion surrounding events in Kabul continues to affect withdrawal veterans. Veterans deserve appropriate verification of their service during the evacuation and direct assistance with accessing mental health resources — particularly during times of difficulty, such as the anniversary of the U.S. departure from Afghanistan.
Beth Bailey (@BWBailey85) is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the co-host of The Afghanistan Project, which takes a deep dive into the tragedy wrought in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.