Op-ed: Maj. Derrick Anderson: Remembering the heroes of Afghanistan

Almost three years ago, in the midst of a shocking foreign policy failure, 13 American servicemembers were killed in action and many were wounded during the Abbey Gate terrorist attack, which occurred in the midst of the chaos of President Joe Biden’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.

It was the deadliest attack on Americans in Afghanistan since 2011, and it shouldn’t have happened.

Today, I’m remembering these brave heroes who gave “the last full measure of devotion” to protect our country.

They were:

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas.

Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole Gee, 23, of Roseville, California.

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover, 31, of Utah.

Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee.

Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, 20, Jackson, Wyoming.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California.

Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan William-Tyeler Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska

Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario, 25, Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto Sanchez, 22, Logansport, Indiana.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, 20, of Wentzville, Missouri.

Navy Hospital Corpsman Max Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio.

I’m also thinking about leadership — and the lack of it — today. There’s no question that the Biden-Harris administration’s failure to manage the situation in Afghanistan led to the Abbey Gate attack.

The conditions for the attack were created by the chaotic situation on the ground during the American withdrawal.

The bomber was an ISIS operative who was freed from prison by the Taliban.

The crowd — and therefore our servicemembers — was at Abbey Gate because of the withdrawal. 

And there have been no consequences within the Biden administration for this failure. 

That’s not how it should be. A failure of this magnitude deserves acknowledgement, a change in direction, and accountability.

I can say this for so many of my fellow Afghanistan veterans: The aftermath of that day, and of our terribly botched withdrawal, lives on among all of us. 

My time in Afghanistan was a fight. It was not a cakewalk. 

Seeing what we saw in Kabul on the anniversary of the Taliban’s takeover — the Taliban marching down the streets of Kabul with our military weapons, our equipment, our aircraft, millions of dollars of equipment that was left over there — really brings back the anger, sadness, and a deep sense of frustration with the political leaders who failed us badly.

I think most Afghanistan veterans would agree with me. When we were there, we saw the threat that had grown to a point where it attacked our homeland, but we also saw the potential for the country if politicians like Joe Biden didn’t mess it up.

And what we saw and hoped for didn’t come to pass. Politicians like Joe Biden absolutely messed it up, and countless good people are paying for that mistake right now.

I’m remembering our brave troops, and I’m thinking about how we avoid disasters like this in the future: it starts with leadership and accountability.

It starts with Americans expecting the opposite of how the Biden-Harris administration reacted to their failure. Let’s put political parties aside, and put this country first.

That’s the kind of change this country needs.

Derrick Anderson is running for Congress in Virginia’s 7th District — his home district. He served as a U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret and as a member of the U.S. Army Old Guard. He grew up washing dishes and mopping floors in his mother’s restaurants around the Spotsylvania and Fredericksburg area. His website is DerrickAnderson.com