Tag Archives: Afghan

Where Were You on 9/11? From the School House to the Sandbox

Posted on September 12, 2021 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum It was, admittedly, an inauspicious start to the day the world changed. So, there I was, at the Defense Language School (DLI), no shit. I was on the unit volleyball team, practice had ended and I had … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Never Forget, Random Memories, So There I Was | Tagged 9-11, 9/11, Afghan, Afghanistan, Afghans, Contractor, Counter Narcotics, current-events, Deployment, DLI, Experiences, Freedom Run, GWOT, Kandahar, Military, NYC, Sept 11, September 11, Taliban | Leave a comment

Hero’s Journey Home Step 4: Mentors, Challenges, Trials and Descent

Posted on July 15, 2019 by psessum

By Peter Sessum Week four of the Veterans Administration therapy program. So far in our Hero’s Journey we have answered the call to adventure, crossed the threshold and now found mentors. Using the Matrix example, as the book often does, … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge, Military Leadership | Tagged Afghan, Afghanistan, Army, Blogging, Combat deployment, Deployment, Experiences, Hero's Journey, Khost, Matrix, Military, Mission, My Deployment, PSYOP, So There I Was, Soldiers, The hero's journey, the hero's journey home, Veterans Affairs | Leave a comment

Sometimes the Military Does Some Good: Healing Over Hurting

Posted on June 9, 2018 by psessum

Sometimes the Military Does Some Good: Healing Over Hurting By Peter Sessum Hollywood loves a good war movie. They focus on invasions or combat, but the reconstruction doesn’t make the box office, or headlines. Like many other vets, I can … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge, So There I Was | Tagged Afghan, Afghanistan, Army, dogtag chronicles, GWOT, Kids, Medics, Military, My Deployment, Psychological Operations, PSYOP, So There I Was, Soldiers, Stuffed Animal, Village | Leave a comment

Don’t Thank Vets on Memorial Day

Posted on May 26, 2017 by psessum

By Peter Sessum This is one of those things that drives veterans crazy, admittedly some take it too far. Civilians don’t see why it matters and while they don’t intend to offend, some do not fully grasp why it bothers … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge, Never Forget | Tagged Afghan, Afghanistan, Air Force, Armed Forces Day, Army, current-events, dogtag chronicles, Fallen, Memorial Day, Military, Navy, Remember the Fallen, Service, Soldier, Thank a vet, Veteran's Day, Veterans, Vets | Leave a comment

ROE and why civilians scare me

Posted on February 18, 2017 by psessum

By Peter Sessum People tend to think that other people think like them. So when a civilian says he is worried about vets becoming violent I know it is not because he has an insight into the military mind. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge | Tagged Aaron Ybarra, active shooter, Afghan, Afghanistan, Allen Ivanov, Army, Centcom, Civilians, Combat Zone, current-events, dogtag chronicles, Kabul, Mass Shooting, Military, ROE, Rules of Engagement, School Shooting, Seattle Pacific University, SPU, the dogtag chronicles, Training, UN, United Nations, Veterans, Vets | 2 Comments

Sometimes the military does some good

Posted on February 4, 2017 by psessum

BY: Peter Sessum Every veteran I know has stories about discussions with young, idealistic civilians that didn’t go well. At some point we have all been lectured about all the babies that we are killing, all the countries we are invading … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge, So There I Was | Tagged Afghan, Afghanistan, Army, Civilian, Combat Zone, dogtag chronicles, Enlisted, Grunt, Hearts and Minds, Infantry, Kandahar, Life Skills, Military, Mission, My Deployment, OEF, Operation Enduring Freedom, PSYOP, reconstruction, So There I Was, Taliban, Veterans, Village | Leave a comment

When Hearts and Minds Fail: The Infamous Matchbooks

Posted on July 14, 2015 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum The hunt for Osama bin Laden took far longer than it should have. For years everyone was wondering how the most famous man in the world stayed hidden in Afghanistan with the might and resources of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, So There I Was | Tagged Afghan, Afghanistan, AK-47, al-Qaeda, Army, Combat Zone, Cultural Awareness, dogtag chronicles, Experiences, Kandahar, Leadership, Life Skills, matchbooks, Military, Military leadership, Mission, My Deployment, Osama bin Laden, Pashtun, Psychological Operations, PSYOP, PSYOP product, So There I Was, Soldier, Taliban, Urdu, Village | Leave a comment

Stop Contributing to Post Traumatic Stress: Vets are not all crazy

Posted on August 15, 2014 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum Every veteran has heard this in some way, shape or form. Usually by some uninformed individual that is in no way qualified to make that diagnosis. One reason why it is one of the more powerful ways … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge | Tagged Afghan, Afghanistan, Army, Bully, Combat Zone, crazy, current-events, dogtag chronicles, Harassment, Infantry, Life Skills, Military, politics, Post Traumatic Stress, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTS, PTSD, Shell Shock, stop contributing to post traumatic stress, Veterans, Vets | Leave a comment

The Big Trade

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Archie

By: Matt Archibald With all the press reports surrounding the release of Bowe Bergdahl, we haven’t seen a lot concerning the 5 detainees that we “traded” for this young man. There have been a few reports here and there, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged Abdul Haq Wasiq, Afghan, Afghanistan, al-Qaeda, Bowe Bergdahl, current-events, Haqqani, Hazara, Khairullah Khairkhwa, Mazar-e Sharif, Military, Mohammed Nabi Omari, Mullah Mohammad Fazl, Mullah Noorullah Noori, Mullah Omar, Osama bin Laden, revenge, SGT Bowe Bergdahl, Taliban, Usama Bin Laden | Leave a comment

Deserter Returns to Undeserved Hero’s Welcome

Posted on June 1, 2014 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum Five years ago this month Army Private First Class (PFC) Bowe Bergdahl walked off his firebase in Afghanistan and was promptly captured by the Taliban. Last week his release was secured by trading five high ranking Taliban … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged Afghan, Afghanistan, American Captive, Army, Bowe Bergdahl, Combat Zone, current-events, FOB, Grunt, Infantry, Military, politics, POW, SGT Bowe Bergdahl, Taliban | 3 Comments