The Afghan Epitaph: Three Cups of Kool-Aid with Lauren Kay Johnson, US Air Force

 @LaurenKayJ  was raised in the Seattle area by a mother who was an Operation Desert Storm Veteran. Lauren herself went on to serve as an Air Force public affairs officer and award-winning Department of Defense journalist, deploying to the Republic of Mali and Afghanistan.

 

She joined FDB on the 20 year anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001.  

She reflects on a wide range of topics associated with the terrorist attacks of that perilous day and her involvement in the GWOT that followed.  Lauren speaks on how Sept. 11 played a role in her decision to join the Air Force.  She fondly recalls her mother's influence on her life and the challenges that went along with her mother serving overseas in Iraq back in 1991.  

Listeners will get a lense into what life was like in Afghanistan for some of the locals, the unclear mandates of a long winding military engagement on the other side of the world, and how seemingly small gestures generated large emotional responses from both her colleagues and Afghan children.  Lauren also shares some details of her upcoming book entitled The Fine Art of Camouflage.  

 

FDB would like to thank Lauren and her fellow servicemen and woman for their service.  They would also like to send condolences to anyone who lost a family member on Sept.11, during the GWOT - both on the US side and the innocent  civilian casualties throughout the Middle East...