The Afghanistan war endured for two decades, involving an all-volunteer military force deployed repeatedly between 2001-2021. Over the course of these 20 years, thousands of young Americans lived through their own unique versions of the war, each marked by personal war stories and life-altering events. The war concluded on August 30th, 2021, leaving both the United States and the people of Afghanistan with a somber and perplexing aftermath. An entire generation now grapples with questions surrounding the reasons behind their sacrifices, as well as the thousands of lives lost or forever changed during the conflict.

This narrative presents a firsthand account of a Marine who played a small role in the Afghan War. It begins with his enlistment in the Marine Corps immediately after high school, driven by dreams of earning the prestigious title of United States Marine and serving his country in combat. The story culminates with his reentry into the civilian world, marked by the challenging task of making sense of the profound experiences he underwent.

The account unfolds through a journal kept by the Marine during a significant offensive in the Helmand Province in the summer of 2009. These firsthand entries, composed by a 21-year-old, are revisited 15 years later, offering a continually evolving perspective and outlook on life. This is not merely a war story, or a detailed military operation account; rather, it is a vulnerable and revealing exploration into the inner thoughts of a young man navigating the complexities of war. It delves into what he learned from those experiences as the years unfolded.