{"id":21009,"date":"2021-08-23T21:42:57","date_gmt":"2021-08-23T21:42:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:02:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:02:57","slug":"afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/","title":{"rendered":"Afghan defense attach\u00e9 to U.S. military families: The Afghanistan people will never forget"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Afghan embassy\u2019s military attach\u00e9 offered hope for his country, saying he is \u201cpretty sure\u201d that what the world is seeing unfold in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/afghanistan\/\/\" target=\"_blank\">Afghanistan<\/a> \u201cwill be for a very short time,\u201d as he thanked <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/afghanistan\/2021\/08\/16\/what-the-heck-did-my-son-sacrifice-his-life-for-gold-star-parents-watch-as-afghanistan-crumbles\/\" target=\"_blank\">Gold Star families<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Afghanistan people \u2014 the Afghanistan new generation \u2014 will not allow [us] to go back to the dark age,\u201d said Col. Abdul Hadi Barakzai, the military\/defense attach\u00e9 at the Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington, D.C. Calling attention to the military uniform he was wearing during a virtual TAPS webinar, he said there is no recognized government in Afghanistan right now, and his uniform doesn\u2019t represent any government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, he said, the uniform \u201cis representing the people of Afghanistan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Barakzai and a panel of experts offered comfort, advice and resources for Gold Star families, veterans, military families and others who have been affected by the heart-wrenching images of the chaos in Afghanistan. \u201cI would like to thank the great nation of the United States for the tremendous support, the blood and treasure that was spent in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan people, the history will never forget,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He specifically thanked Gold Star families for their loved ones\u2019 sacrifices, saying the sacrifices were made \u201cto save a nation.\u201d Afghanis will never let go of the 20 years of achievement \u201cthat we gained with struggle, with hard work and with dignity. We will keep and go forward,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Afghanistan is not the same country it was 20 years ago, he said. \u201cWe will definitely stand with all our force, with all our potential, with our dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Barakzai made the remarks during a webinar titled \u201cFinding Meaning in Afghanistan,\u201d which was organized by the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors\u2019 Institute for Hope and Healing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>\u2018Current events don\u2019t change the past\u2019<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Barakzai reassured Gold Star families and other military families that the military\u2019s work in Afghanistan had made a difference to the Afghan people, others on the panel offered advice and resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe current events do not go back and change the past,\u201d said Dr. Therese Rando, a clinical psychologist in Warwick, R.I., who is the clinical director of The Institute for the Study and Treatment of Loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMilitary service is noble, purposeful, patriotic and honorable. Current events cannot change those realities,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Re-evaluating one\u2019s past based on information that\u2019s only known now is unfair,\u201d she said. \u201cYour reasons for being in Afghanistan are as good now as they were then. What\u2019s happening now doesn\u2019t change those.\u201d The right question to be looked at isn\u2019t why those who served did what they did in Afghanistan, but \u201cwhy what\u2019s happening now is happening now,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou can believe wholeheartedly in the mission and still experience loss and trauma when it is changed,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reaching out to others is key, said the panelists, who were from a variety of organizations with a variety of experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kelly McHugh Stewart found out just how important that was. Her father, Army Col. John McHugh, died on May 18, 2010, in Kabul. \u201cThis week has been difficult for me and my family \u2026 watching what\u2019s happening in Kabul, in the same streets where my father was killed,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There were many times when she was feeling angry, sad and helpless. Then she called Bonnie Carroll, president and founder of TAPS. \u201cI realized how important it is to talk to someone else in this community,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cI hadn\u2019t realized how much I needed it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Carroll founded TAPS nearly 30 years ago when her husband, Brig Gen. Tom Carroll, died in an Army plane crash in 1992, along with seven other soldiers. TAPS offers support and resources 24\/7 for those who have lost loved ones on active duty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gold Star families can often feel isolated, Stewart said. She added she has been trying to seek out stories of hope, and has focused on feeling grateful for groups like TAPS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Col. Barakzai assured Stewart that her father\u2019s sacrifice will be part of Afghanistan\u2019s history, and the Afghanistan people will never forget the sacrifices made on their behalf. As just one example, he said, more than 10 million children in Afghanistan \u2014 including girls \u2014 have been going to school and to universities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>\u2018Put your oxygen mask on first\u2019<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ryan Manion, surviving sister of Marine 1st Lt. Travis Manion, who was killed in Iraq on April 29, 2007, said she hopes, as Barakzai said, that this situation is temporary. She has a friend who is trying to get out of Afghanistan with his 3-year-old son and wife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe feeling for me is helplessness,\u201d said Manion, who is president of the Travis Manion Foundation, a veteran service organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She received helpful advice from her friend and foundation Vice President Amy Looney Heffernan, the widow of Lt. Brendan Looney, a Navy SEAL who was killed in Afghanistan Sept. 21, 2010.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe said \u2018you need to put your oxygen mask on first\u2019,\u201d said Manion. \u201cMake sure you\u2019re dealing with your own feelings, then lean in to help others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They\u2019re advising members to focus on their own personal sphere of influence. \u201cNever underestimate the impact of that one phone call that you\u2019re making, that one conversation,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Koby Langley, senior vice president of Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces, calls it \u201cthe power of one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anybody can pick up the phone and call and check up on someone you know who served in Afghanistan, even if it\u2019s been years since you last talked, he said. \u201cIt might be that one phone call that helps them through this difficult time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Red Cross has other ongoing efforts, such as a reconnection effort to help those who may be trying to get in touch with a family member who has been displaced because of the crisis in Afghanistan: <a href=\"https:\/\/familylinks.icrc.org\/en\/_layouts\/icrc.familylinks\/FindSomeOne.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/familylinks.icrc.org\/en\/_layouts\/icrc.familylinks\/FindSomeOne.aspx<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>\u2018An honor-based culture\u2019<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Family members need to realize the experiences of the 20-year-long war have happened to them, too, said Kathy Roth-Douquet, founder and CEO of Blue Star Families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe care about our service member, our veteran. We love them,\u201d she said. \u201cBut we also had our own unique experiences. You have permission to experience those and reflect upon those, and to feel them for you yourself, whether the service member was killed, injured, or whether they are still in the world without diagnosis. \u2026 Feel your own feelings, and know you deserve them\u201d she said. \u201cYou did something brave and honorable, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou are the person, probably, as a family member, closest to the service member who may be suffering, and you have an opportunity to be a conduit for them,\u201d she said. She suggested asking open-ended questions such as how that person is feeling, and if there\u2019s anything they\u2019d like to talk about. \u201cWhen they do share them, don\u2019t try to fix them,\u201d she said. Ask how you can help, or if there\u2019s something they\u2019d like you to do that would help them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said it\u2019s also important to remember some differences about the military community and its values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re Americans, but we\u2019re a distinct subculture,\u201d as military-connected people, Roth-Douquet said. \u201cOne part of our subculture is that our values are slightly different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn the larger American society, self-actualization is the highest good \u2014 self-expression and achieving your goals. In the military community, we\u2019re an honor-based culture. That means our highest good is meeting our responsibilities and acting with honor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSometimes people in the larger community can\u2019t understand that. It doesn\u2019t serve your self-interest to do the things we do. So, there can be a disconnect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Roth-Douquet said veterans, service members and loved ones shouldn\u2019t worry about explaining themselves to these people, and to understand that people in the larger society and pundits may be talking about what\u2019s going on in a way that makes sense to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe loudest people have no experience in this war and have never served. Don\u2019t unduly take on board the noise. Because that\u2019s what it is, noise,\u201d Roth-Douquet said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe people who matter are often very quiet, and they\u2019re often the people who know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Some resources:<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2666 TAPS National Military Survivor Helpline, 800-959-8277, has TAPS staff members available 24\/7 to answer calls and provide support. More resources at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.taps.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">www.taps.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2666 The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.veteranscrisisline.net\/\" target=\"_blank\">Veterans Crisis Line<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.veterancrisisline.net\/\" target=\"_blank\">www.veterancrisisline.net<\/a>, and at 800-273-8255 (press 1). Responders, many of whom are veterans themselves, are there to answer calls 24\/7 from veterans and service members. Also, text to 838255; or use the online chat feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2666 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militaryonesource.mil\/\" target=\"_blank\">Military OneSource<\/a> provides access to confidential military family life counselors in your community. Click the link or call 800-342-9647.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2666 DoD\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/health.mil\/Military-Health-Topics\/Centers-of-Excellence\/Psychological-Health-Center-of-Excellence\/Psychological-Health-Resource-Center\" target=\"_blank\">Psychological Health Resource Center<\/a> is available 24\/7 for service members, veterans and family members. Trained mental health consultants can help callers access mental health care and community support resources in their local area. Click the link or call 866-966-1020<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2666 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tricare.mil\/CoveredServices\/Mental\/Programs\" target=\"_blank\">Tricare<\/a> offers mental health care to its enrollees; military medical treatment facilities often provide mental health services.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Experts offer advice, comfort and resources to those in the military community affected by the unfolding events in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":2366,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":12,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,23,93,12,25,18,19],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3302],"class_list":["post-21009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-home","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-spouse","category-veterans"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"LPYWCDTZEBAWLL3Q7PP3FYUTMU","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Afghan defense attach\u00e9 to U.S. military families: The Afghanistan people will never forget - Marine Corps Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Experts offer advice, comfort and resources to those in the military community affected by the unfolding events in Afghanistan.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Afghan defense attach\u00e9 to U.S. military families: The Afghanistan people will never forget\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Experts offer advice, comfort and resources to those in the military community affected by the unfolding events in Afghanistan.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Marine Corps Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-08-23T21:42:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T06:02:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Karen Jowers\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Karen Jowers\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/news\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/23\\\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\\\/#article\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/news\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/23\\\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"author\": {\n\t                \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"headline\": \"Afghan defense attach\u00e9 to U.S. military families: The Afghanistan people will never forget\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2021-08-23T21:42:57+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T06:02:57+00:00\",\n\t            \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/news\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/23\\\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"wordCount\": 1521,\n\t            \"commentCount\": 0,\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/news\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/23\\\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/Safe-Slumber.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"articleSection\": [\n\t                \"Daily News Roundup\",\n\t                \"Home\",\n\t                \"Middle Column\",\n\t                \"News\",\n\t                \"Newsletters\",\n\t                \"Spouses\",\n\t                \"Veterans\"\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"CommentAction\",\n\t                    \"name\": \"Comment\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/news\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/23\\\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\\\/#respond\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/news\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/23\\\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\\\/\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/news\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/23\\\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Afghan defense attach\u00e9 to U.S. military families: The Afghanistan people will never forget - Marine Corps Times\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#website\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"primaryImageOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/news\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/23\\\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/news\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/23\\\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/Safe-Slumber.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2021-08-23T21:42:57+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T06:02:57+00:00\",\n\t            \"description\": \"Experts offer advice, comfort and resources to those in the military community affected by the unfolding events in Afghanistan.\",\n\t            \"breadcrumb\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/news\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/23\\\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\\\/#breadcrumb\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ReadAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/news\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/23\\\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\\\/\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/news\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/23\\\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\\\/#primaryimage\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/Safe-Slumber.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/Safe-Slumber.jpg.jpg\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/news\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/23\\\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\\\/#breadcrumb\",\n\t            \"itemListElement\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 1,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Home\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"home\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 2,\n\t                    \"name\": \"News\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/news\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"news\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 3,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Afghan defense attach\u00e9 to U.S. military families: The Afghanistan people will never forget\"\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebSite\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#website\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Marine Corps Times\",\n\t            \"description\": \"Marine Corps - Independent News For Marines | Marine Corps Times\",\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"SearchAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"EntryPoint\",\n\t                        \"urlTemplate\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"\n\t                    },\n\t                    \"query-input\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"PropertyValueSpecification\",\n\t                        \"valueRequired\": true,\n\t                        \"valueName\": \"search_term_string\"\n\t                    }\n\t                }\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#organization\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Marine Corps Times\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/\",\n\t            \"logo\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/marine-logo-white.png\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/marine-logo-white.png\",\n\t                \"caption\": \"Marine Corps Times\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"\n\t            }\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\",\n\t            \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t                \"caption\": \"migration\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/author\\\/migration\\\/\"\n\t        }\n\t    ]\n\t}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Afghan defense attach\u00e9 to U.S. military families: The Afghanistan people will never forget - Marine Corps Times","description":"Experts offer advice, comfort and resources to those in the military community affected by the unfolding events in Afghanistan.","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Afghan defense attach\u00e9 to U.S. military families: The Afghanistan people will never forget","og_description":"Experts offer advice, comfort and resources to those in the military community affected by the unfolding events in Afghanistan.","og_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/","og_site_name":"Marine Corps Times","article_published_time":"2021-08-23T21:42:57+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-08T06:02:57+00:00","author":"Karen Jowers","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Karen Jowers","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/"},"author":{"name":"migration","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1"},"headline":"Afghan defense attach\u00e9 to U.S. military families: The Afghanistan people will never forget","datePublished":"2021-08-23T21:42:57+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-08T06:02:57+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/"},"wordCount":1521,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Safe-Slumber.jpg.jpg","articleSection":["Daily News Roundup","Home","Middle Column","News","Newsletters","Spouses","Veterans"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/","name":"Afghan defense attach\u00e9 to U.S. military families: The Afghanistan people will never forget - Marine Corps Times","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Safe-Slumber.jpg.jpg","datePublished":"2021-08-23T21:42:57+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-08T06:02:57+00:00","description":"Experts offer advice, comfort and resources to those in the military community affected by the unfolding events in Afghanistan.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Safe-Slumber.jpg.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Safe-Slumber.jpg.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2021\/08\/23\/afghan-defense-attache-to-us-military-families-the-afghanistan-people-will-never-forget\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/","ad_zone":"home"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/","ad_zone":"news"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Afghan defense attach\u00e9 to U.S. military families: The Afghanistan people will never forget"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#website","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/","name":"Marine Corps Times","description":"Marine Corps - Independent News For Marines | Marine Corps Times","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#organization","name":"Marine Corps Times","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/marine-logo-white.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/marine-logo-white.png","caption":"Marine Corps Times"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1","name":"migration","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"migration"},"url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/author\/migration\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Marine Corps Times","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes","push-errors":false,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Safe-Slumber.jpg.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21009"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21009\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21013,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21009\/revisions\/21013"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21009"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=21009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}