The Boardwalk

We are honored to have Green Beret Chris Rogers join us for a special two-part interview. In this episode we discuss leadership, the early Afghan War, special forces selection, and other topics. Part 2 will be out next week.  _________________________________________ Where to Listen: Apple: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkapple  Spotify: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkspotify  Pandora: https://bit.ly/3xZ8b...

We are joined by special guest Nadia today to discuss working as an interpreter and as a woman in her native country of Afghanistan. Nadia worked for US forces in Western and Southern Afghanistan as a member of a Female Engagement Team providing medical services, support, and gathering intelligence.  _________________________________________ Where to Listen: Apple: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkapple...

We don't normally talk about things outside of our specialty, but a lot of questions on our AMA focused on a certain conflict in Europe. In this episode, we are joined by Max Kabachenko, a former US Army human intelligence collector and Ukrainian immigrant, to discuss current events.  _________________________________________   Where to Listen: Apple: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkapple   Spotif...

On this episode we step out of Afghanistan for a minute and down to the US Southern Border. Mik Lopez, a former Texas National Guardsman and frequent guest of the podcast, delivers a well-prepared lecture on National Guard Operations along the border. Zach, Stu, and Kyle occasionally interject with jokes and inappropriate comments.  _________________________________________   Where to Listen: Appl...

Join the regular crew and special guest and former Ranger Mitch Chahalis as we discuss Nangarhar Province, cigarettes, ISIL-KP, and other stories. _________________________________________   Where to Listen: Apple: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkapple   Spotify: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkspotify   Pandora: https://bit.ly/3xZ8bk9   Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3gbZ6ya   Amazon Music: https://amzn.t...

It's rare we have one special guest, but on today's episode we have two authors. Mikel Drnec is a former infantryman and author of "Memories of the Korengal" which details his experience in the titular valley. Wesley Morgan is a journalist and author of "The Hardest Place: The American Military Adrift in Afghanistan's Pech Valley." We'll take our discussion...

Join us as we do a deep dive into the history and background of the three Taliban Emirs. From Mullah Omar to the present day, learn about the interesting lives of elusive people.  _________________________________________ Where to Listen: Apple: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkapple  Spotify: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkspotify  Pandora: https://bit.ly/3xZ8bk9  Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3gbZ6ya  A...

In this episode we interview War Murals Project creator Eric Strand about documenting the art of the Global War on Terror. We discuss art, t-walls, and portable toilets as a canvas.  https://www.warmurals.com/ _________________________________________ Where to Listen: Apple: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkapple  Spotify: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkspotify  Pandora: https://bit.ly/3xZ8bk9  Google Podca...

What is this?! A crossover episode? In this episode about nothing, we sit down and discuss all sorts of funny, depressing, and absurd things about the military and our experiences. Intel and ground guys together at last. Special thanks to The Panjwai Podcast for coming on. _________________________________________ Where to Listen: Apple: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkapple  Spotify: https://bit.ly/th...

Join Zach, Kyle, Stu, and former analyst and founding member of Chartz LLC, Dan Catlin, as they discuss Uruzgan province and how it served as a harbinger of a total Taliban victory.  _________________________________________ Where to Listen: Apple: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkapple  Spotify: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkspotify  Pandora: https://bit.ly/3xZ8bk9  Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3gbZ6ya...

In this episode, Kyle, Zach, and Stu discuss the drug trade in Afghanistan and why the country continues to produce over 80% of the world's opium.  _________________________________________   Where to Listen: Apple: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkapple   Spotify: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkspotify   Pandora: https://bit.ly/3xZ8bk9   Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3gbZ6ya   Amazon Music: https://...

In this episode, Stu, Zach, and Kyle talk about current news regarding Afghanistan and go into Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Israel as they pertain to American foreign policy in the region.  _________________________________________   Where to Listen: Apple: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkapple   Spotify: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkspotify   Pandora: https://bit.ly/3xZ8bk9   Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/...

In this episode, Zach, Kyle, and Stu talk Iraq and its influence on the Afghan war with Luke Coffey of the Panjwai Podcast.  _________________________________________   Where to Listen: Apple: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkapple   Spotify: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkspotify   Pandora: https://bit.ly/3xZ8bk9   Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3gbZ6ya   Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/37UuZXQ   Stitcher:...

On this episode, join Zach, Stu, and Kyle as they talk about how the Great Game played out between the US and the Soviet Union over Afghanistan. We cover the last king of Afghanistan, Soviet-Afghan relations, the Soviet-Afghan War, and the end of Soviet influence and the rise of the Taliban.  _________________________________________   Where to Listen: Apple: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkapple   Spo...

Join Kyle, Zach, and Stu on a journey back to the 1800s to discuss the geopolitical maneuvering by the British and Russian empires around Afghanistan.  Uncover the concerning parallels between Afghanistan in the 19th Century and current events. There are Dune and Star Wars references.  We are on YouTube now, so check the links below! _________________________________________   Where to Listen: App...

Welcome to Season 2 of The Boardwalk Podcast. In this episode, Zach, Stu, and Kyle give a recap and their thoughts on events in Afghanistan over the last six weeks. We want to get our listeners caught up on things that happened during the season break of our podcast. We talk evacuation, congressional testimonies, drone strikes, civilian death, and accountability. Welcome back! ____________________...

In this final episode of Season 1, we are joined by former intelligence officer Evan Egger to discuss the transition to the Train, Advise, and Assist strategy that started in 2015. We talk about the 20 year failure to understand our allies and the kind of "hypernormalisation" that set in during the latter days of the war.  We will be on hiatus until the end of October to research new top...

In this episode, we are again joined by Mitch Chahalis to discuss the history and misconceptions surrounding the Haqqani Network, Al Qaeda, and the Taliban. We also delve into the history of other nefarious groups that operate in Afghanistan and their allegiances or lack thereof.  _________________________________________   Where to Listen: Apple: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkapple   Spotify: https:...

This week on The Boardwalk, we discuss the evacuation from Kabul, the tragic suicide bombing, and the lack of accountability in the US government and senior military leadership. Emotions are running a bit high, so the language is more colorful than normal.  _________________________________________   Where to Listen: Apple: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkapple   Spotify: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkspo...

This week we go back to the 1970's and explain the creation of the Mujahideen in direct response to the communist takeover and Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, and how the United States came to arm them. We talk about the origin, rise, and death of Ahmad Shah Massoud, the Lion of Panjshir, and the Northern Alliance, a conglomerate of fighters from northern Afghanistan that resisted the Taliban...

Mik Lopez joins us again this week as we try to wrap our minds around the Taliban takeover of the country and the government. We talk about why our elected and military leaders are wrong to so quickly and aimlessly point the finger to the Afghan military. With the series of press conferences given by President Biden and the Department of Defense, we revisit the topic of accountability. Zach also s...

This week we talk about the emotions and changes that come with returning from a warzone, as well as the differences in returning as soldiers and as contractors. We talk about how war changes someone's personal views and some of the pet peeves that we have developed over time.  _________________________________________   Where to Listen: Apple: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkapple   Spotify: http...

This week we talk about the world of defense contracting, ranging from what we did as analysts to the bigger contracts for services such as logistics and food services. We talk about some of the ethical dilemmas that come with being contractors and fighting a war for profit. We also get into some of the reasons why our contracts probably shouldn't have existed in the first place. Later on in...

This week we sat down with Helal "Leo" Dur, owner and operator of the Kabob House on Kandahar Airfield, and his wife Homa Mohammad. Together, Leo and Homa are the owners of Afghan Kabob in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The Kabob House was a central part of our lives in Afghanistan. It's where we ordered food at least every Friday for dinner before cigar night. With Kandahar Airfield...

This week we discuss all things Hamid Karzai. From his start in the pre-Taliban government and relationship with King Zahir Shah, to his eventual return and ascendancy to become president. We talk about Karzai's abilities as a politician and a statesman, as well as the consistent charges of corruption that followed throughout his administration. We also get into some of what Karzai has been u...