Local serviceman speaks about time in Afghanistan

By JAMES FELTON, ANNA MUCKENFUSS

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    MICHIGAN, USA (WNEM) — A veteran and Vassar native is speaking out about his time in Afghanistan as the crisis continues.

“It wasn’t all for nothing. It wasn’t you know ‘hey it didn’t work out like what you guys did over there was nothing,” Travis Mills said.

Mills is proud of his service in Afghanistan.

“We built schools. We got kids educated. We got women educated. We were able to build and dig wells for healthy drinking water. And I understand the Taliban is taking everything back over or they’re on their way to do that we did make an impact and a difference,” Mills said.

Mills became a quadruple amputee in 2012 after a roadside bomb exploded.

“Life is too short to worry about the past. And I can’t change what happened to me. So, I’m not going to say I lost my arms and legs for nothing. I’m fortunate that I made it home. I live every day to the fullest because of those sisters and brothers that didn’t make it back home and their loved ones that are hereafter that sacrifice that they made,” Mills said.

Mills believes what is happening in Afghanistan right now was inevitable.

‘We weren’t going to be there forever right. It wasn’t going to be another Germany where we had a base and it’s civilized. There was no winning that war,” Mills said.

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