One year ago, the last soldier left Afghanistan. After 20 years of occupation, thousands of U.S. troops killed in combat and a frenetic evacuation, Major Gen. Chris Donahue climbed aboard the last Air Force flight out of the country. He was the last military service member left in Afghanistan. The aircraft departed Monday, August 30, 2021, just before a self-imposed U.S. deadline to evacuate, closing a chapter on America's longest war, which saw more than 775,000 American troops serve. In the year since the Taliban's return to power, life in Afghanistan has been transformed for many into a daily struggle for survival – marked by unemployment, homelessness, hunger and fear. Most of the attention from the West has focused on the Taliban's draconian social restrictions on women, girls and minorities after the Taliban barred girls from attending school after age 12 and eliminated women's personal freedoms. But the top concern in Afghanistan today is the economy. An estimated 700,000 have lost jobs since the U.S. withdrawal, impacting the livelihood of millions. 🔗For a look at how life in #Afghanistan has changed over the past year, visit our link in bio. 📸: Jack Holt, U.S. Central Command Public Affairs