Washington veterans react to U.S. leaving Afghanistan: 'It's an emotional rollercoaster'

Washington veterans are voicing their concerns after the last U.S. troops left Afghanistan, ending America's longest war.

"Our emotions are just all over the place right now," says Matt Sollars, who served 23 years in the Air Force, including time in Afghanistan.  He says the news of the last us plane leaving was surreal.

"I lost friends over there, I lost friends back here because of what happened over there, so it’s an emotional roller coaster," said Sollars. "I’m glad its over, and on the other hand I’m like man we still have work we need to do."

Sollars says now that the war is over, he and many other veterans are left questioning-what was it all for?

"I felt that it was way too fast, things ramped up way too fast and I was like wait a second we still have a lot of stuff over there, personnel over there, and allies," he said.

Sollars says he’s thought a lot about the Afghan people left behind, many of whom he says were the military’s allies for 20 years.

"They need our help, they helped us, we should help them in turn and if that means we have to go in and get them then I believe that’s what we should do," he said.

That’s exactly what Zamaray Momand is praying will happen, that the U.S. will help people get out.

"People who worked for the international community, worked for the U.S., they shouldn’t be left behind, they should take care of them," he said.

Momand worked as a translator for almost a decade during the war, before leaving Afghanistan and moving to the U.S. in 2014. But his siblings, nieces, and nephews all still live in Kabul.

"Especially for the women, it's kind of a nightmare for them, they’re very afraid scared, and worried as I talk to them they’re like ‘what’s going to happen to our future,’ and all I can tell them is just hope for better. It’s dark, we don't have anything good to tell them. Unfortunately, we cannot give you much hope."

Momand says his family is trying to flee and come to America, but he says the immigration process is complex, made even more so by the fact that his family's employers already fled. He’s not sure how they’ll get the required documentation they need. He hopes the US steps in and makes the process easier for his loved ones to escape.