GREENSBORO, N.C. — The bombings in Kabul that killed 13 U.S. service members bring up difficult memories for Triad veterans.
"It's not easy to process at all," Erik Andresen said. "Because they're not going to get to wake up or see their family or talk to their friend."
Andresen is an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan nearly 20 years ago. He is also a WFMY News 2 employee's husband.
His time there is never far from his mind. He joined the Army in 2000 and after 9/11, he requested to be sent to Afghanistan.
He spent six months in Kandahar and Khost, working to build relationships with Afghans.
"What I learned about the Afghan people is that they're not that much different from us. They are still people," Andresen said.
He followed the war through the years after his tour. Now he is reflecting on the two suicide bombs that killed 13 service members and 60 Afghans Thursday. It comes as the U.S. reaches its deadline to withdraw from the country.
"From a veteran's standpoint, it's easy to just act on aggression," Andresen said.
But he said behind the initial anger is something else.
"It's more of sadness. It's sadness for the people and what they have coming, because we know that this is probably just scratching the surface," Andresen said.
He's trying to be hopeful that Taliban rule will be different than it was 20 years ago.
"It is what it is. If they have the power just be good to your people. This is your community. This is your family. These are the people that you're supposed to love and support," Andresen said.
It is difficult for him to see the Taliban back in control with more lives lost and American Sacrificed. Still, he believes the cause he fought for is the right one.
"I would absolutely do it again and that's what I tell everybody that says, 'thank you for your service'. I say, 'I would do it again in a heartbeat. Regardless of the circumstances," Andresen said.
Many of the service members killed in the attack were marines. We do not know if any of them were based in North Carolina. We expect to learn more Friday.