JOHN COSTELLO / Inquirer
Lt. Darren Riley
Afghanistan: The Forgotten War
Audio Interview | Lt. Darren Riley
Platoon leader. Tacoma, Wash.
"For the most part I think the locals trust us. Because we're unified against a common enemy. We're here to fight the enemies of the United States, the guys that flew planes into our towers."
Audio: "You can walk right by them and never know."
Lt. Darren Riley, 24, wanted to enlist in the Army after 9/11. But his father, a career military officer, encouraged him to complete college. He was commissioned in 2004 and now leads the 1st platoon of C Company, 1-32 Battalion.
When Riley was on leave in July, his platoon got into several firefights, so he has not experienced some of the close brushes.
"I really thought it was going to be like Blackhawk Down, but it has been more like a study-abroad trip," he said.
