WEBVTT - Introducing Third Squad

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<v Speaker 1>We all know how the war in Afghanistan ends. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>Afghan government and security forces collapse under a Taliban advance

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<v Speaker 1>and pandemonium outside cobble amples. It's clear who was now

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<v Speaker 1>in charge. But before the chaos and the humiliation of

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<v Speaker 1>the withdrawal, I was there to witness the terror and

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<v Speaker 1>the togetherness of battle. They could be industry that right here,

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<v Speaker 1>just waiting for us, fucking push out of the opening

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<v Speaker 1>light us the book up. Unless you just do it, it

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<v Speaker 1>it comes over. Oh my god, goddamn. I'm glad I

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<v Speaker 1>didn't go on. I'm Elliott Woods. I'm a veteran and

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<v Speaker 1>a journalist, and back in two thousand eleven I went

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<v Speaker 1>to Afghanistan to embed with the squad of marine My

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<v Speaker 1>name is John Bollinger. Michael Miner were taking David, James Foalsky,

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<v Speaker 1>Scott me Catchings, every Lipe, Manual Mendoza, Taylor Mooney, and

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<v Speaker 1>Matthew for It, Jeric Fry, Michael Joseph Dutcher, twelve guys

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<v Speaker 1>who were serving in the bloodiest stage of the twenty

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<v Speaker 1>year war in a place where hundreds of Marines were

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<v Speaker 1>getting killed and wounded. And we solved the to Taliban

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<v Speaker 1>out here where they plant N E d s for Taliban.

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<v Speaker 1>The Taliban's I E d s were hidden everywhere, and

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<v Speaker 1>all too often the Marines found them the hard way.

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<v Speaker 1>If you could describe saying it in in a couple of sentences, say,

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<v Speaker 1>probably one of the worst places on earth right now.

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<v Speaker 1>I interviewed each of the exhausted Marines in a sweltering

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<v Speaker 1>mud brick hut, and there was one who seemed a

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<v Speaker 1>little out of place. All right, so you're on tape, wonderful.

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<v Speaker 1>What's your full name? Michael Joseph Dutcher. Dutcher wore goofy glasses,

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<v Speaker 1>and he had a reputation for being smart. In fact,

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<v Speaker 1>he was counting the days until he could get out

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<v Speaker 1>of the Marines and go to college to become a teacher.

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<v Speaker 1>Why did you join the Marine Corps? Honestly, I have

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<v Speaker 1>no idea anymore. But in the meantime he had a

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<v Speaker 1>job to do. He had to help keep his friends safe.

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<v Speaker 1>Paying attention to everything is the only thing you have

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<v Speaker 1>out here to keep you off. I left Afghanistan that

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<v Speaker 1>summer with a hard drive full of photos and audio,

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<v Speaker 1>and I was just beginning to sort through it when

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<v Speaker 1>I got some terrible news Michael Dutcher was dead. I

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<v Speaker 1>never went on another m bed after that. After Dutcher,

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<v Speaker 1>I just didn't think I could handle anymore death. But

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<v Speaker 1>I've always felt like I abandoned the most important mission

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<v Speaker 1>I ever had, And in all the years since Dutch died,

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<v Speaker 1>I always wondered what happened to the rest of the squad.

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<v Speaker 1>So ten years after we said goodbye and sang in,

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<v Speaker 1>I decided to drive across the country to track them downs.

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<v Speaker 1>We've covered so far and we have literally come from

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<v Speaker 1>coast to coast to find out what they make of

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<v Speaker 1>the war. After all these years, I've lost too many

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<v Speaker 1>good people for people would just not to give a

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<v Speaker 1>shit about it. I wanted to ask some hard questions.

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<v Speaker 1>To the extent that you're willing to talk about it,

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<v Speaker 1>I would like to go there with you if you're

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<v Speaker 1>able to. Okay, it's time for all of us to

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<v Speaker 1>ask what was it all for? And where do we

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<v Speaker 1>go from here? Listen to Third Squad on October one

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<v Speaker 1>on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever

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<v Speaker 1>you get your podcasts.