President Obama is expected to soon make an announcement about withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan. The timeline isn’t clear. But the pressure is-the President’s initial deadline was July. Roughly 100,000 troops are currently serving in Afghanistan. But even a quicker withdraw could leave tens of thousands of troops on the ground, possibly for years. So, what has this long-standing conflict meant for Illinois’ active troops and returning vets? Eight Forty-Eight spoke to Dan Grant, Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, about the conflict and how Illinois serves returning soldiers.

A Soldier’s Return

Eight Forty-Eight spoke to Sgt. Luke Austin of the Illinois National Guard. He was deployed to Afghanistan between 2008 and 2009 where he worked as a photojournalist in Kabul for the Guard. Sgt. Austin served on humanitarian missions aimed to help the Afghan people. But he said it feels good to be home. 

Music Button: Oval, “Episonik” from the release Szenariodisk (Thrill Jockey)