"Episode 1 - Welcome to Panjwai, Afghanistan"
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Welcome to Panjwai. The Panjwai Podcast is an interview-based podcast series documenting the experiences of combat veterans in the Panjwai District of Afghanistan. The podcast begins by focusing on the infantrymen of B Company 1-64, from the 3rd Infantry Division, and their 2012 deployment to COP Sperwan Ghar. The Panjwai Podcast launches with an inaugural episode featuring podcast hosts Luke Coffey and Curtis Grace. In this episode they discuss their own military background and history, how a mechanized unit ended up in Afghanistan, and orient the listener to the terrain of Panjwai and Sperwan Ghar. We discuss the topography and geography of Panjwai and some of its culture, the kind of fighting we saw, the difficulties of fighting in the terrain, and the tactics used by the Taliban. Join us for the beginning of this journey. New episodes every Friday. Minute Marks: 00:00:00 - Welcome to the Panjwai Podcast 00:03:25 - How Luke and Curtis Ended up in Afghanistan and Life After the Army 00:08:15 - Why the Infantry 00:10:28 - What is a POG/“Pogue” 00:11:44 - How our Unit Ended up in Afghanistan 00:14:45 - Work Up to the Deployment 00:17:25 - “Come to Jesus” Moment at NTC 00:23:53 - SFC Ott’s Coffee 00:25:20 - Panjwai-Where, What, Why 00:31:10 - Flat? And no Mountains? 00:32:20 - Grapefields 00:33:46 - What it's like to Climb Graperows 00:34:46 - Marijuana, Poppy, and Agriculture 00:36:12 - Mud Hut Villages or “Kalats” 00:39:17 - Roads (or the Lack Thereof) 00:39:58 - Attached to 1-23 Infantry 00:41:44 - O Canada! Panjwai’s Military History 00:43:40 - Introduction to Sperwan Ghar 00:47:52 - The Taliban in Panjwai 00:52:07 - Curtis Revisits in 2017 00:52:30 - Attachments and Dogs! 00:59:10 - Improvised Explosive Devices or IEDs 01:01:35 - How IEDs Affected Our Tactics 01:06:39 - The Fight in Panjwai 01:08:58 - The Mental Toll of IEDs 01:17:47 - Children and War 01:23:39 - Fighting the Taliban in our AO 01:31:06 - Outro —————————————— Also Available on: Apple: https://buff.ly/3gTXet9 Spotify: https://buff.ly/2Kx6cjR Google: https://buff.ly/3b29R4z Podbean: https://buff.ly/2WoN0aF iHeartRadio: https://buff.ly/3nc5Wo1 For maps, photos and more information about Panjwai go to : https://www.thepanjwaipodcast.com/abo... You can donate and support the podcast on the Podbean patron for as little as $1.00 a month. For more information on how to support the podcast directly go to : https://patron.podbean.com/thepanjwai... Direct donations can also be sent via venmo @thepanjwaipodcast Be sure to like, follow, and/or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Youtube, TuneIn, Amazon Music and many more. visit www.thepanjwaipodcast.com/listen for more information. Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepanjwaipo... Instagram: @thepanjwaipodcast Twitter: @panjwaipodcast --------------------------------