A former Marine doing private security work in Afghanistan is back home in the states. Ray Merkle of Indiana was contracted for additional security at the embassy in Kabul. He previously spent more than 20 years in the Marines and did three tours in Iraq. In May, he started security work in Kabul and was due to come home next month. As the Taliban swiftly moved through the country, workers inside the embassy began to leave the country. Merkle said by Saturday, Afghanistan time, his crew was told to start packing and was shipped out the next day. "Getting off the embassy compound was relatively smooth, all the helicopters that were coming in, military personnel were getting off," he said. "Things were collapsing fairly quick though. The urgency kept picking up."He said it was apparent at the airport that the situation was deteriorating quickly. "It wasn't really made known to us how bad it had really gotten until we were already in the air," he said. "They had breached the security on the civilian side of the airport."On his journey home, he read and saw more of what was happening back in Afghanistan."My heart just goes out to the people. They're just trying to get out of town. It looks like the wheels fell off really fast," he said. "I feel the way this was executed and went down is a disaster."Merkle believes this is his last tour overseas and said he is looking forward to enjoying some family time.
A former Marine doing private security work in Afghanistan is back home in the states.
Ray Merkle of Indiana was contracted for additional security at the embassy in Kabul. He previously spent more than 20 years in the Marines and did three tours in Iraq.
In May, he started security work in Kabul and was due to come home next month.
As the Taliban swiftly moved through the country, workers inside the embassy began to leave the country. Merkle said by Saturday, Afghanistan time, his crew was told to start packing and was shipped out the next day.
"Getting off the embassy compound was relatively smooth, all the helicopters that were coming in, military personnel were getting off," he said. "Things were collapsing fairly quick though. The urgency kept picking up."
He said it was apparent at the airport that the situation was deteriorating quickly.
"It wasn't really made known to us how bad it had really gotten until we were already in the air," he said. "They had breached the security on the civilian side of the airport."
On his journey home, he read and saw more of what was happening back in Afghanistan.
"My heart just goes out to the people. They're just trying to get out of town. It looks like the wheels fell off really fast," he said. "I feel the way this was executed and went down is a disaster."
Merkle believes this is his last tour overseas and said he is looking forward to enjoying some family time.
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