Once Upon a Time in Tarin Kot

 I was stationed as an Army air traffic controller at Tarin Kot from summer 2010-summer 2011, and here are some of my observations of a foreshadowing of the humanitarian crisis we witness now in Afghanistan.

When my unit arrived in 2010, this was Tarin Kot Airfield. The runway was a dirt strip. Construction of the Tarin Kot International Airport began shortly before RIP/TOA. At this time, policy shifted to "Winning Hearts and Minds," and "Courageous Restraint." The airport cost millions. Businesses supporting official and purely commercial interests and economic initiatives sprang up. 

At one point, there was even open discussion concerning permanent duty bases in Afghanistan, and this did not appeal to troops who were deployed to volatile zones. From summer 2010 to summer 2011, troops survived 82 hostile detonations inside the wire, 2 ground breach attempts, 2 suicide bombing events, and a bizarre fire involving a chemical tent and an ammo tent on the ANA/ANP compounds. 

Great progress for an economic future and regional stability were made. I taught an advanced English class for interpreters and a beginner's English class for locals pursuing employment advancement and opportunities, particularly for international commercial entities. 

Prior to this takeover, Tarin Kot was heavily attacked in 2016.

During my time there, I met many interpreters who expressed concerns for their safety, because the US government was not processing their SIV's.