Military Officers Talk to Public About Afghanistan Efforts

Military officers who served in Afghanistan will address Louisville-area residents this Wednesday on the challenges faced while fighting in the past few years.Major Ryan O’Connell, Major Tim Payment and Lt. Colonel Ryan Janovic all served in Afghanistan at various times between 2009 and 2011. The U.S. is scheduled to withdraw troops in 2014, but critics are wary of whether the war’s damage will be repaired.“I think sometimes in the news we get a very negative picture of what’s happening," said Xiao-yin Zhao,  executive director of the World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana, which will host the talk.The public will have the chance to hear the officer’s stories, hopefully giving people a clearer picture of the human side of war, she said.“We want to talk about some of the tactical, the combat and that’s something that they are going to present. But more importantly we would like them to talk about the kinds of activities that military and the officers engage in, in terms of the local communities, with the local tribes and ethic communities," she said.The event is free and open to the public but requires reservations by calling 502-561-5422. The discussion will take place at Metro Hall at 6:30 pm.