102. Life and Death at Abbey Gate with Mikael Cook

Who did we leave behind in the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan? How are we looking for interpreters and other civilians who aided US efforts throughout the GWOT? What is the status of visa process?

These are all questions Brock dives into with Mikael Cook, the author of the upcoming book Life and Death at Abbey Gate. Mikael's book recounts the story of his relationship with Abdul and Mohammad, two Afghanis he met while deployed, and his involvement in #DigitalDunkirk, an underground communication channel between those on the ground in country and people in the US working to evacuate essential personnel.

Episode Resources:

Mikael on Instagram

Preorder on book on Amazon

Show Notes:

Afghanistan war experiences and writing a book. 0:00

Military service and deployment. 2:09

Evacuation failures in Afghanistan. 10:23

State Department inconsistencies. 15:22

Immigration policy. 20:04

Digital Dunkirk and citizen-led rescue efforts during Afghanistan crisis. 26:21

The role of social media in the unfolding of a true story. 28:56

Using social media for good in the military. 34:22

Immigration visa process for Afghan allies after US withdrawal. 40:02

Afghanistan's current situation and resistance efforts. 42:44

Military service, heroism, and patriotism. 53:35

Book release. 57:59

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The Scuttlebutt Podcast - The podcast for service members and veterans building a life outside the military.

The Scuttlebutt Podcast features discussions on lifestyle, careers, business, and resources for service members. Show host, Brock Briggs, talks with a special guest from the community committed to helping military members build a successful life, inside and outside the service.

Follow along:   

• Episode & transcript: https://www.scuttlebuttpodcast.co/

• Brock: https://www.brockbriggs.com/