COMBAT STORIES FROM Afghanistan

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Showing : Afghanistan Videos

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  Michael Trevino - Army +9 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  Michael Trevino was green when an NCO by the name of James Nolen schooled him on the M240 machine gun. He had a memorable leadership style and was a very upbeat guy, which made his death all the more devastating to the men of 3-Charlie.

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  Jasdeep Singh - Army +10 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  Alone in a guard tower, a private took his own life and the camp was turned upside down. Jasdeep Singh recalls how the investigation became a very big thing and some of the NCO's were reassigned. One good thing was that one of the new sergeants was a very good leader. (Caution: strong language)

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  Michael Trevino - Army +9 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  Michael Trevino was selected for Special Forces but, after an injury, he was sent to the 82nd Airborne. He got a lot of grief from everyone because he was the only new guy. He joined them in Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan.

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  Jesse Walburn - Army +8 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  Jesse Walburn's first firefight started when a round from a recoilless rifle hit his Humvee. The rest of the team dismounted and moved on the enemy but, as the driver, he was required to stay with the vehicle. It had a flat tire and he was told to get out and change it. Then the gunfire started up again.

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  Jasdeep Singh - Army +10 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  They kept seeing flares in the distance at night, or fireworks. The lieutenant was sure it was the Taliban up to no good. But Jasdeep Singh and the rest of the troops were sure it wasn't anything. Still, they had to saddle up and walk out into the cold night when the lieutenant said they were going out to catch the bad guys. Part 1 of 2. (Caution: strong language)

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  Brandon Dodson - Marines +12 Total Videos

  1st Battalion, 7th Marines

  It was at the end of his second tour in Afghanistan on the very last mission the Marine unit had before they were packing up to leave. Brandon Dodson stepped on an IED which gave him some devastating injuries. He was the squad leader so he kept trying to stand up until the Corpsman handed him something that put an end to that. (Caution: graphic material and strong language)

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  Colin Colquhoun - Army +7 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  It was July 4, 2010 when the patrol went out from their outpost in Afghanistan to set up an overwatch. Mortarman Colin Colquhoun needed somebody to carry some extra rounds so he took a newly arrived soldier named Clay McGarrah with him. (Caution: strong language)

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  James Ferguson - Marines +10 Total Videos

  3rd Battalion, 12th Marines

  One of James Ferguson's squad leaders was a Marine that everyone in the unit looked up to, a mentor and a natural leader. One night, they were setting up a two pronged ambush when a huge blast shook the earth. That Marine was mortally wounded and still continued to direct his squad.

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  Patty Justice - Army +4 Total Videos

  7303rd Medical Training Support Battalion, 1st Medical Training Brigade

  Justice details a too-close-for-comfort interaction with a vehicle-borne IED. The IED came as a complete surprise and the entire F.O.B. fell into what Justice could only describe as “chaos” immediately following the explosion. She suffered several injuries and had to work with the nurses back in Bagram and depend on the friendship of comrade Colonel Ellison to come back from the injuries.

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  Michael Trevino - Army +9 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  He was never so mad in his life. Michael Trevino opines on the US exit from Afghanistan, something he takes as a personal affront. Reunions of his unit help to work off steam and share the weight with his brothers. (Caution: strong language)

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  Jasdeep Singh - Army +10 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  There was all kinds of music played by the boys in the 3rd platoon, from Hip-Hop to Country. Jasdeep Singh liked it all. And he likes the fact that, years later, he and his buddies can carry on at a reunion like no time at all had passed. (Caution: strong language)

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  Michael Trevino - Army +9 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  It was Michael Trevino's birthday when he traveled home from his first Afghanistan deployment. He was on crutches but that didn't stop the company's birthday tradition that left him with a little red skin. His parents came to North Carolina to see him and they treated all his friends to a night on the town and then some.

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  Jasdeep Singh - Army +10 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  As the son of immigrants from India, Jasdeep Singh was expected to become a doctor or an engineer. The only problem was, how? He was the youngest of three and resources were not unlimited. He began to wonder about his options.

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  Michael Trevino - Army +9 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  As soon as his second Afghanistan deployment was over, Michael Trevino shipped out for Germany. It was only a few months before he had to return to Afghanistan and close down bases in RC East. When he really got home, the effects of what he had seen began to become apparent.

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  Jasdeep Singh - Army +10 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  Jasdeep Singh had a talent for remaining under the radar which served him well during basic and jump school. When he got to the 82nd Airborne, the hazing was bearable and he began to prepare for a possible deployment.

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  Michael Trevino - Army +9 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  Michael Trevino gives a shout out to his buddies in 3-Charlie, especially two NCO's who stood out and showed him the ropes. First, this is a tribe and we are now your family.

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  Hank Derenoff - Army +11 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  Hank Derenoff was at Kandahar Airfield waiting to go home. He couldn't stand the place nor did he care for the banners and the band when he got back to Fort Bragg. He did enjoy the reunion with his family. Then came the garrison duty. (Caution: strong language)

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  Jasdeep Singh - Army +10 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  Was it worth it? Are we safer? Jasdeep Singh served in Afghanistan with the Airborne infantry and he has some definite opinions on those questions. (Caution: strong language)

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  Michael Trevino - Army +9 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  He had signed up for Army ROTC but, when Michel Trevino got to college, he became distracted and was not doing well. The Army suggested he could go on active duty and he was fine with that. The rigors of Fort Benning didn't faze him a bit.

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  John Brusa - Army +13 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  John Brusa was with the advance team that deployed early to Afghanistan. They wound up doing temporary small unit assignments in various places. The first mission was to relieve a beat up National Guard unit who were glad to see the Airborne guys come in. It was there that they met a gung ho Afghan National Police commander who was a little too gung ho for his own good.

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  Jasdeep Singh - Army +10 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  It was cold. Jasdeep Singh and one of his buddies were laying on wet snow, huddled up together for warmth. He was sure they were on a fool's errand, out to catch whoever was shooting off flares. Finally, they saw another one go up. It was on the other side of the river. Discipline would now be tested. Part 2 of 2. (Caution: strong language)

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  Michael Trevino - Army +9 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  It was a miserable winter in Waza Khwa. It was cold, there was deep snow and the menu was limited. Michael Trevino toughed it out and, just thirty days from shipping back to the States, the Humvee he traveling in was hit with a devastating IED planted by the Taliban.

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  Jesse Walburn - Army +8 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  It was slow in the beginning when Jesse Walburn's unit set up a base in the Arghandab Valley. The first casualty was memorable. Right where he had just knelt down, another man was seriously wounded by an IED. A certain mindset was needed to deal with this.

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  Jasdeep Singh - Army +10 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  A lot of cool dudes. That's how Jasdeep Singh describes the men in his platoon. It's a good thing they had trained and lived together so long because life at the firebase in Afghanistan was harsh, even without the war that was going on. (Caution: strong language)

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  Jesse Walburn - Army +8 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  They were on their way back to base as night fell. After a pause the word was passed to move out but there were three man who didn't get the word. Jesse Walburn describes the mad scramble that happened once they were missed.

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  Michael Trevino - Army +9 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  On his second deployment to Afghanistan, Michael Trevino's platoon was sent to provide security for a body recovery operation at a remote river. The troops were lured into an ambush and that began an epic three day running firefight.

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  Jasdeep Singh - Army +10 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  When Jasdeep Singh arrived in Afghanistan, he was sent to Firebase Bruin which had just been vacated by another unit. What he found was a mess. No real towers and half-built barricades, there was a lot of work to do.

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  Michael Trevino - Army +9 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  When his unit moved to the Arghandab River Valley, Michael Trevino was made the RTO at headquarters company. This required a fast and steep learning curve but he mastered the task and was responsible for all Medevacs. A little bit of subterfuge on his part cut the response time for the choppers.

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  Jesse Walburn - Army +8 Total Videos

  Multiple Units

  They made a difference and the world was left better. That's what Jesse Walburn wants people to remember about Afghanistan. He reveals what music they were listening to while he was there and he describes the positive effects of getting together for reunions.

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  Jasdeep Singh - Army +10 Total Videos

  2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division

  Jasdeep Singh was on a patrol in Afghanistan with a comrade who was killed in action. He made an effort to contact the man's family when he got back home but it never happened. Finally, years later at a reunion of the unit, it happened and he could get a little closure.