And it was from these orchards that the soldiers of the 1st Battalion waged some of their most turbulent battles as they sought to control the Arghandab during a pivotal time for American forces.
The 1st Battalion sustained one of the highest casualty counts of any similar-sized Army unit in the nearly nine-year conflict in Afghanistan. By the time the battalion headed home this summer, 22 soldiers had died there and more than 65 had been wounded.
This is the story of the battalion's year in Afghanistan, as soldiers struggled with their mission in the conservative Islamic region. These strains reflect broader tensions within the U.S. military and among civilian leaders about the conduct of the war: how to balance battling the Taliban with winning the trust of Afghans.
A Year in Afghanistan
Frustration, pride in a year of danger by Seattle Times reporter Hal Bernton is a stellar overview of one unit's year in Afghanistan.
And it was from these orchards that the soldiers of the 1st Battalion waged some of their most turbulent battles as they sought to control the Arghandab during a pivotal time for American forces.
The 1st Battalion sustained one of the highest casualty counts of any similar-sized Army unit in the nearly nine-year conflict in Afghanistan. By the time the battalion headed home this summer, 22 soldiers had died there and more than 65 had been wounded.
This is the story of the battalion's year in Afghanistan, as soldiers struggled with their mission in the conservative Islamic region. These strains reflect broader tensions within the U.S. military and among civilian leaders about the conduct of the war: how to balance battling the Taliban with winning the trust of Afghans.
