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Ohio veterans worked tirelessly to save Afghan allies as Taliban takeover loomed

Afghan vets Matt Carpenter Richard Stockburger
Courtesy
Army veterans Matt Carpenter and Rick Stockburger (foreground) with Afghan forces in 2019.

Many across the globe watched in horror as the Taliban swept across Afghanistan earlier this year, eventually overtaking the country's government and returning it to repressive, theocratic rule.

Among those paying keen attention to the unfolding crisis were Army veterans Matt Carpenter and Rick Stockburger, both of whom returned to Ohio after having served in Afghanistan and elsewhere around the globe.

Their thoughts turned to their allies: the Afghan people who had fought desperately for democracy in their country and put their lives on the line to help Carpenter, Stockburger and other American troops perform their mission.

The two vets knew they had to do something. So they began making calls, sending social media messages and monitoring the whereabouts of their Afghan allies, .eventually coordinating the evacuation of about 150 of them from the country as the Taliban takeover loomed.

Carpenter and Stockburger join Cincinnati Edition to talk about that effort and their thoughts on the grim turn of events in Afghanistan.

Listen to Cincinnati Edition live at noon M-F. Audio for this segment will be uploaded after 4 p.m. ET.

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