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Veteran Of 3 Combat Tours: Afghanistan Surges Were 'Very Difficult Situations' For Troops

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Chase Millsap represents and advocates for veterans and military families through the media company We Are The Mighty.

He's a veteran himself.

He served three combat tours in Iraq as a Marine and as a Green Beret leading counterterrorism missions in Asia.

When he hears of another potential'troop surge in Afghanistan, he thinks "here we go again."

"I was in Iraq during the first Afghan surge," Millsap said. "I've now met fellow veterans who've been to Afghanistan, part of that troop surge, heard about their experiences, very, very difficult situations they found themselves in."

Now more than 15 years after the war started, senior military officials want to send 3,000 to 5,000 more troops back into Afghanistan, reversing President Barack Obama's moves.

Millsap says he wants to know more about the mission.

"Biggest concern I have is that there are those on the ground, and do they have the supplies, and resources and what they need to accomplish the mission," Millsap said. "And are we looking at this in a way that we have an end state?"

The Washington Post reports the new proposal would authorize the Pentagon, instead of the White House, to set troop levels. Millsap hopes the public's oversight of what's happening stays strong.

"The real danger as we say things about troop surge and Afghanistan, it doesn't have a meaning, desensitized – but to veterans … those are our friends."

President Donald Trump has yet to approve the plan but is expected to make the call by the end of the month.

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