Interview of Michael M. Barrett by Elizabeth Lambert
March 21, 2014
A graduate of The Citadel, Michael Barrett served two military tours overseas. The first came in 2008 when he was sent to Afghanistan to train the Afghan army. Once he arrived in Afghanistan, however, his mission changed, and he was told that he would be training the Afghan police force. In the interview, Barrett recounts the difficulties he experienced as he completed his mission. Both cultural differences and governmental challenges created obstacles for the soldiers sent to train the Afghan police. While Barrett concludes that his efforts in Afghanistan did effect positive change, he also acknowledges that substantive change requires years to enact. In addition to serving in Afghanistan, Barrett also participated in peacekeeping operations in Kosovo. Today, Barrett resides in Charleston, South Carolina, and is in the process of setting up his own law firm.