As we watch the dire situation in Afghanistan unfold and the Biden administration’s bungled response from the luxury of our living rooms or corporate offices, it’s not hard to become outraged when one thinks about the 19+ years the men and women of the U.S. military and their allies spent first fighting and then trying to keep the peace and how it has all unraveled in a matter of just a few days as the Taliban takes firm control of the country.

But when you’re a veteran of the Afghanistan war, what’s happening on the ground there is obviously going to impact you on a much more personal and visceral level when you think about not only the sacrifices you made when you served but also the ultimate sacrifices made by your brothers and sisters in arms and how you prayed that those sacrifices were not made in vain.

Johnny “Joey” Jones is a retired United States Marine who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2010, Jones lost both his legs below the knee after he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan. In addition to the loss of both of his legs, the explosion “caused severe damage to his right forearm and both wrists.”

Jones, who is a Fox News contributor, naturally had a lot to say about the situation in Afghanistan during his appearance today on the network’s “Outnumbered” program. I transcribed the first two videos, but please make sure to watch all four clips below as he perfectly put in perspective why the sacrifices his fellow officers made mattered and how going forward we need to put leaders in charge who might have had the foresight to put forth an exit strategy from a country that didn’t lead to what we’ve seen happen over the last several days:

“First, let me say I lost my legs in Afghanistan, but it was an absolute blessing to come home and I know that every day. I don’t hold that against any President or the Taliban or anyone. I’m at full peace with that. I’m honored to have served in Afghanistan. I believe that my work there helped people come home safe and that matters to me. But I wanted to take an opportunity, and I think we have some pictures to talk about a couple of men I fought alongside and didn’t come home.

And the first was Cpl. Daniel Greer from Ashland, TN. He was a full-time fireman and decided to join the Marine Reserves and become an engineer which is not an easy job because he thought it was his duty as an American to fight a war to protect our country and seek revenge for 9/11. Daniel was killed by the IED that took my legs. He didn’t make it home. We were injured on August 6th and he took his last breath on August 8th while we were in Germany together. And he’s a hero. We cannot, cannot forget Daniel and the thousands just like him they gave their last breath so that we could stay safe for at least 20 years.

Another person I’d like to honor is Gunnery Sgt. Floyd Holley. He was a Marine EOD tech and a mentor to me and I think we’ve got a picture of him as well. Just a couple things about Floyd. He was killed two weeks after I was injured covering the IEDs that I would’ve been working, so my accident led directly to his death. Floyd and I had a conversation just before he went on the operation that took his life and my legs. He had a daughter that wasn’t born yet and wouldn’t be born until after his death. And I asked him, do you want this to be a boy or girl and he looks at me and goes,’ I don’t care with the baby is as long as it’s healthy and happy and I get to be there to see it born.’ And that was Floyd. That was the last meaningful thing he said to me, and it stuck with me ever since.

I have a daughter now. Every time I look at her I think about Floyd and his two daughters. And all I can think is that these men sacrificed not just their lives but when you sacrifice your life, you sacrifice every single minute and day that you would’ve stayed on this Earth making an impact in other people’s lives. And as mad and frustrated as I am today, I just hope the American people understand these people died for you. Let’s make this world a better place, let’s elect leaders that are leaders and not just politicians. And as much as we want to complain, maybe let’s look forward and look for the right people to do the right things because haven’t had much of that in a while.”

Watch:

Stop what you're doing and watch this from @Johnny_Joey as he pays tribute on @OutnumberedFNC to two fallen Marines he served with in Afghanistan. Those are the people we should remember today: "I believed that my work there helped people come home safe & that matters to me." pic.twitter.com/PHvrXQwXmi

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) August 16, 2021

.@Johnny_Joey: "All I can think is that these men sacrificed not just their life but when you sacrifice your life, you sacrifice every single minute and day that you would've stayed on this Earth making an impact in other people's lives…Let's make this world a better place." pic.twitter.com/VEnHXuUuL0

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) August 16, 2021

In the below clip, Jones discusses how the sacrifices made by the U.S. military every day ensures Americans get to argue about trivial things like which pronouns to use in comparison to some countries where women are not even allowed to choose whether or not they want to cover their hair when they go out:

.@Johnny_Joey to Gold Star families: "Thank you. B/c of your sacrifice, I'm alive. B/c of your sacrifice this world is a better place in this country is a safe place…We get to argue about things…b/c of the country that we have…b/c somebody defended it & many died to do" it pic.twitter.com/mi8vGbJrUG

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) August 16, 2021

In this one, Jones talked about his time in Afghanistan and some of the horrific things he saw, which further inspired him and his fellow servicemen and women to continue the fight:

Last one – @Johnny_Joey shares stories of his interactions with Afghans who've had to suffer under the Taliban, including a toddler burned from the belly button down by a Taliban IED: "We tried to bring peace. We tried to make world a better place for the people that live there." pic.twitter.com/uYmuOUwzoZ

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) August 16, 2021

Jones’ powerful message should be cc’d to Joe Biden and his apologists in the mainstream media who oddly believe that maybe Americans will be willing to give Biden a “pass” for the way the Afghanistan war ended, considering so many here are war-weary.

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