Andy Stumpf

I mean, I think that's what I saw at least as some direct impact of actions that were taken.

Was it perfect?

No.

And again, like I said, were the strategic and operational plans thought through?

I mean, certainly not the exit.

the entrance probably, but not the exit for either of those theaters, but that's a tough one for your kids.

And, you know, I can't answer this question for you because maybe you, anything I said, maybe some of it resonates with you and maybe some of it doesn't, but I've had these questions asked me for my children before or other people.

And it's, if you, as a soldier,

Start looking at the decision makers and maybe their motivations as to why we went.

It's easy to undermine and undervalue your service or to diminish your service or what it is that you did or your effort.

And I don't think that you should do that because if you're anything like me, you did the absolute best you could in the situation that you were in.

And then decades later or years later or, again, as you just get more time and optic on the world, if your realization changes as to the motivations of those people that might have made those decisions or why the country oriented in that direction, you can find yourself saying it was a waste.

What I did didn't mean anything.

And that's not the case at all because you only had control of the situation that you were directly involved with.

I am worried about politicians and bureaucrats.

And I do think to a degree they use this as pawns to get wealthy.

But I think they've been doing that for a long time.

I think it's getting a little bit harder to with access to information and the ease of the ability to spread it.

But I have the same concerns that you do.

But what I don't do is spend time telling myself that my own personal actions weren't worth it.