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View a eulogy for Jason Benjamin Jones, USMA '07, who passed away on June 2, 2014.

Jason Benjamin Jones

West Point, 2007

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Adam Nordin on May 30, 2022:

Jay-

It's over. The war in Afghanistan, at least by American terms, is over.

I flew on the last flight. I was the brigade S3 that led the planning effort to get us out. We came in after being alerted, and evacuated ~15000 partners and Allies and over 125000 American-Afghans. It was nuts.

I can't say that country is better for us being gone. The Taliban are in charge. We negotiated with them. They even aided our security so we could leave safely. We aren't friends... but we weren't at deathly odds like last summer, either. It was strange.

I can't say it was all worth it. But I can say your sacrifice was not in vane. Afghanistan is not a complete lost cause. And, it's not necessarily a harbor for extremists. But, it's a long way from being what we wanted.

It' a different world now than it was back then. China is our biggest competitor. Russia is at war with Ukraine. And we aren't completely out of the Middle East. It's like war never really ends, it just looks different.

Jay. Stay on alert. For us. We've got the watch. But we need you to give us strength to make the right decisions and take action in these troubling and uncertain times.

You are not forgotten, brother. You are missed.

-Adam

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