Number 2

I sympathize with that sense of pointlessness. Having spent so much time flying in AFG in the last past 15 years or so, I understand the feeling. I've felt that way since the first deployment - there was never any victory in AFG. Never any end. What, were we going to turn Afghanistan into Germany? Less than half of the population can read. The things that mattered there were saving our guys on the ground. Making sure that the bad guys felt the pain and that someone had the backs of our 19-year old kids in the mountains. But none of that would have been necessary if we just hadn't been there. No TICs to cover, no overwatch needed. I'm angry with the leadership who always said we were "turning the corner." Have you seen those media compilations where they have quotes from Generals over like a 20-year time span? Literal identical quotes..."We're turning the corner, the Afghans are really showing promise, etc." For 20 years. Always the same, because who gets promoted if they say to their boss "this task is impossible." I don't blame them for not winning - I blame them for not saying we couldn't win. I'm glad we're gone. I'm not naive about what AFG will become when we leave again. But it's been that way for centuries. The loss of American and NATO life in AFG in unforgivable. The insane financial waste (the SIGAR reports will make your eyes water) is incredible. Good riddance.

GD, Have you had any experience in dealing with slight GASH (glare, starbursts, halos) night vision symptoms in post-operative flight crew/studs? I'm wondering if those who pass through the Brooks post-surgery evaluation successfully but have some minor symptoms are able to improve the quality of their experience with a small amount of over-minusing, miosis-inducing eyedrops, or other flight-doc approved techniques. Thanks for your time.