15 Years Later: An Afghanistan Veteran Remembers October 29, 2011

On October 29, 2011, I was serving as a U.S. Army officer in Kabul, Afghanistan, when a suicide vehicle-borne IED struck a coalition bus, killing 13 members of our coalition and four Afghan civilians.

Fifteen years later, I have written SOLDIER ON: An Afghanistan War Memoir of Leadership, Loss, and the Long Road Home.

Although written from the perspective of an American officer, this is a coalition story. Americans, Dutch, Canadians, British, and service members from many other nations served together in Afghanistan. We shared the mission, the risks, the losses, and, for many of us, the difficult journey of coming home.

SOLDIER ON is about more than combat. It is about leadership, the responsibility we carry for one another, remembrance, and what happens after the uniform comes off.

As the 15th anniversary of the October 29 attack approaches, I would be honored to connect with Dutch veterans who served in Afghanistan and others who believe these stories should continue to be told.

David Meek
Major, U.S. Army (Retired)
Afghanistan Veteran
Author of SOLDIER ON