The U.S. war in Afghanistan was the longest military conflict in our country's history, outlasting the Spanish -American war, WWI, WWII, and the Korean War combined. It was a war that was mobilized, fought, and ended differently than any other war fought by Americans. The justification for this conflict is a topic that historians will debate for years to come. However, one thing that is not in question is the bravery and sacrifice of those who served in this war.
I have the honor of knowing one of those brave individuals on a personal level. His name is Alan Chiasson and he and his friend Edward Ford served on a team of private security contractors providing high-risk mobile operations delivering critical supplies and equipment to American military and coalition forces all over Afghanistan. They even wrote a book together called "Postcards Through Hell" that tells their story as the Afghanistan Pony Express.
The book covers a period of time from 2009 to 2012. At first, they were delivering critical supplies such as food, fuel, and ammo to different outposts in Afghanistan, but eventually, they were awarded a contract with the Department of Defense to deliver the US mail. That's when they became known as the Pony Express. They would drive in convoy on a route called Ring Road, which was occupied by the Taliban and they were attacked almost every day. Unfortunately, they lost 10 of their guys in less than three years. But they were proud to be called the Pony Express.
Ed added that the book was a culmination of his memoirs combined with a journal that Alan kept. Together they created a timeline that covers their experiences during that period. Unlike in Iraq, they never saw the enemy, but in Afghanistan, they often came face-to-face with the Taliban and if they were attacked, the fight was on. They had to return fire and sometimes even kill the enemy. It's important that we don't forget the sacrifices of the men and women who served our country all over the world. One way to keep their memories alive is by reading "Postcards Through Hell" by Alan Chiasson and Edward Ford.
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