By Carly Phaneuf, Staff Writer
Mainstream media has been full of information about what happened and is happening in Kabul, Afghanistan. However, can these sources truly paint a picture from the perspective of someone who was there? Sargent Ponds, a 24-year-old SPEC-OPs soldier from Sturbridge, MA, speaks out about what really went on those tragic days in Kabul.
“The experience was nail-biting. We had little-to-no information about anything that was going on over there. No pre-plan or anything,” Ponds states. He and under 20 others were sent in the dead of night to help aid the other troops stuck in Afghanistan.
Ponds states that he and his unit went from having complete control to no control at all. “They were trying to shoot soldiers out of the air,” Ponds added. Luckily, no one was injured during their entrance, but one soldier’s parachute was damaged.
When the first blast went off at the airport, Ponds and his friend were close to it. He recalls the heart-wrenching story in which he and others attempt to save lives as quickly as possible: “There weren’t enough medics or supplies. We wanted to help the US and the civilians, but there just wasn’t enough help.”
Ponds and one attendant also mentioned that they were two of the hundreds of others who drove the body home of fallen soldier Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo on September 11, 2021. It was a truly moving sight with the highway shut down and community members from all over showing their support.
When asked what he wanted the public to know, Ponds responded by saying; “Appreciate the life you have in this country. You may think you have it bad, and you might, but appreciate the freedom.”
