In this episode, our host Mike Nelson interviews Derek Lloyd, an army vet who’s seen his share of action in Afghanistan! They discuss the intense conditions in a battle zone, the importance of camaraderie in that situation, why it’s so difficult to build that kind of kinship as civilians, and more in this in-depth episode!

00:06 – Introduction: 2002 – 2011, Army SSG
02:11 – Walking 22 Miles… To Raise Awareness! Oh, My Aching Feet!
04:11 – Straight Out of High School
05:35 – Deploying to Djibouti: Horrific Heat Levels!
08:59 – 178th Airborne: Finally Seeing Combat!
10:25 – From Bush to Obama: Changing Rules of Engagement, Cooperating With a Questionable Force
12:39 – One Engagement, Every Single Day… Ambushes Along the Infamous Korengal Road
15:39 – Dealing With a Triple-Stack Anti-Tank Mine!
18:29 – Escaping the Stress… Has its Risks, But it’s Necessary!
20:39 – One Shower a Month, No Time for Laundry!
21:52 – An Electrified Truck Ride
23:40 – The Hollywood Wars: Don’t Even Come Close to Reality!
24:09 – It’s Hard to Forget… Losing That Camaraderie Hurts. Making Friends as an Adult Civilian is Hard!
27:01 – Veteran Support: Money is One Thing, But Time is Precious!
29:04 – What’s That Cracking Noise?.. The First Shooting
32:15 – Second Time’s the Charm
34:54 – What a Difference an Established Base Makes! No More Moon Dust and Diesel Disposal!
36:42 – Coming Home: A Free Cum Laude From U-Albany!
38:18 – Getting Into the Family Business: Hello, Duke Concrete!
39:45 – Derek’s Advice to Returning Vets: Find Some People You Can Vent To, and Rely On!
41:18 – Pearl Harbor Mixer at the Slick Fin Brewery, December 7th!
42:04 – The Revitalization of Fort Edward and Glens Falls
42:52 – Closing Remarks