I'm Jonathan K. Parton, welcome to K-PART.

Jason Kander was a rising star in the Democratic Party.

The Afghanistan War veteran won statewide office in Missouri in 2012, launched a U.S. Senate

bid by 2016.

There was even exploration of a presidential bid, and then he left the scene.

Kander writes all about why in his new book Invisible Storm, a soldier's memoir of politics

and PTSD.

In his book, and in this conversation, first recorded on July 27th for Washington Post

Live, he opens up about his struggle with his mental health, his quest to address it,

and be a beacon for others.

But the best part was when I asked him about the announcement that fellow Missourian, Senator

Josh Hawley, has written a book about masculinity.

Yeah, I actually learned that this book is coming out this morning, and my first thought

was, this is like me writing a cookbook.

I mean, it's like, I don't know how to cook.

Jason, we have a lot to cover.

Then I want to start with your military service.

You served in Afghanistan as an intelligence officer.

What was going on in the war at that point, and what exactly was your role?

Sure.

So, I got there in October of 2006, so at that point, which was a long time ago now, and

so the going theory of the war at that point was that unlike Iraq, where the conversation

...