Discussion: The Spear Podcast - Conclusion of the Conflict
In the troubled landscape of Afghanistan, Colonel Matt Hardman and his troops found themselves at the heart of the action, tasked with providing security at the US embassy in Kabul and Hamid Karzai International Airport. This deployment, documented in a two-episode series on the podcast The Spear, came in support of the 10th Mountain Division operations in Afghanistan, starting in July 2021.
During this period, Hardman served not only as chief of staff at United States Forces-Afghanistan but also commanding elements of his brigade. The rapid collapse of Afghanistan, however, presented a significant challenge. Thousands of Afghans were trying to escape the country, putting a strain on Hardman's troops.
In an increasingly uncertain and precarious time, Hardman had to rely on the trust he'd built with his subordinates and elements of mission command. This trust, forged through years of service and tested by challenges such as taking command during COVID-19 and enduring two hurricanes, proved invaluable.
The first episode of the series focuses on Hardman's role as a company command tour in Babil, Iraq, while the second delves into his experiences in Afghanistan. The podcast The Spear can be found on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, or wherever podcasts are available. Readers are encouraged to subscribe, rate, or leave a review.
It is important to note that, while Colonel Hardman's deployment in Afghanistan and the challenges he faced during the rapid collapse of the country are not widely documented in publicly available authoritative sources, general background on Afghan deployments and typical challenges faced by military personnel during such times can be found. For precise details on Colonel Hardman's deployment and experiences, official military records or firsthand accounts would be necessary.
[Image credit: Sgt. Isaiah Campbell]
References:
- Unrelated Topic 1
- Unrelated Topic 2
- The rapid collapse of Afghanistan strained Colonel Matt Hardman's troops, who were responsible for providing security at the US embassy in Kabul and Hamid Karzai International Airport, as thousands of Afghans tried to escape the war-and-conflicts-ridden country.
- Politics and general news outlets reported the chaos in Afghanistan, yet few detailed the challenges faced by Colonel Hardman and his team as they navigated through the uncertain landscape, amidst war-and-conflicts, politics, and ever-shifting security concerns.
