Virginia diner 'Breakfast with Friends' set: Veterans speak about America's longest war ending (2025)

'Where do we go from here? What do we do? How do we repair our relationship with the world...with our allies?' - Veteran Steven Desrochers

COLONIAL HEIGHTS - The "Fox & Friends" New York team broadcastedlive from the Keystone Grill bright and early on Sept. 1. Locals ateeggs and bacon while they watched the "Breakfast with Friends" segment come to life.

Just ten minutes away from the diner, thousands of Afghan refugees arrivedat Fort Lee for medical care and processing into the U.S. after the longest war in American history that lasted nearlytwo decades and spanned fourpresidencies ended.

Linda Lewis was alerted by her nephew that the "Fox &Friends" reporter Lawrence Jones whomshe adores was making a special appearance in her hometown.

"I was eating my breakfast reading my daily devotions when I received my nephew's text," shared Lewis of Colonial Heights. "I grabbed a pen and the closest thing I could have autographed and shot out the door."

After writing "God Bless" and providing his autograph on a daily devotion, Jones made Lewis's day and posed for a photo with her.

One early bird arrived at 4:45 a.m. to secure a spot for hash browns, waffles, and an adrenaline rush from coffee and "Fox & Friends" live.

"The restaurant opened an hour earlier," said Keystone Truck and Tractor Museum employee Dylan Simmons. "About 25 people were at the door waiting to grab a seat and a cup of coffee."

"This is pretty cool. I saw it on the news," said Bobby Harris of Prince George while seated on a barstool eating pancakes. "I said...I'm going up there. I've got something to say."

Harris did not get an opportunity to appear on live TV, but he did meet Jones and talked with him for about four minutes. He said the reporter was personable and went from table to table introducing himself.

"We talked about what is going on in Afghanistan and how sad and shameful it is," said Harris. "It's corruption at its finest."

To thank them for their service and sacrifice, a table with an American Flag centerpiece was reserved to honor the 13 U.S. service members killed in a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021.

Locals speak frankly

I turned my TV to the Fox News Channel to see which locals scored airtime.

Colonial Heights Mayor Greg Kochuba was seated in a booth with Councilman Mike Cherry who is running for election as a Republicanto the Virginia House of Delegates to represent District 66.

Jones joined them and introduced Cherry to the viewers at home. He mentioned how Cherry worked on C-17A aircraft while serving in the Air Force.

"You're a pastor who talks with veterans every single day," stated Jones to Cherry. "What are veterans saying?"

Cherry shared what his son who served in Afghanistan had told him recently.

Putting his uniform back on for the first time after having deployed back from Qatar, Cherry's son wondered what the uniform meant...wondered if it has any value.

"We watched 20 years of our sacrifice, of our investment, literally evaporate in seven days. The billions of dollars of equipment that we left behind to equip an enemy that is our sworn enemy," said Cherry. "And, yet, what did we gain from it?"

"Veterans are calling me and they're struggling. They're struggling with the idea that their sacrifice mattered," said Cherry. "And, so that's really concerning to me. Where's the mental health of our veteran community, and are we making sure they're okay?"

'Fox & Friends' live in Colonial Heights: Locals talk live about Afghanistan refugees and other issues

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Next, Jones kneeled down and interviewed Matoaca District Supervisor Kevin Carroll who served over 30 years with the Chesterfield County Police Department. He asked Carroll about the buddies he lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

In response to Jones's question, Carroll mentioned that in addition to the civilian casualties on 9/11 there were 365 firefighters and hundreds of law enforcement officers that lost their lives.

Carroll believes that the country is back to square one. He remembers President George W. Bush standing on a pile of rubble telling the world, "We're going to get the people that did this."

"I remember taking the steps that we did throughout the years to put this country in a position where we can protect ourselves, protect our borders, protect our people," said Carroll. "Now, we've turned over a country back to a terrorist state that is going to put this entire country in the world at risk. It's shameful. It shouldn't have happened the way that it did."

Andrew "Butch" Taylor breaking bread with Carroll was up to the mike next.

Taylor owns Titan Auto & Tire with his wife Kim Taylor who is running as a Republican for the 63rd House of Delegates District seat now held by Democrat Lashrecse D. Aird.

Jones, recalling a discussion from earlier in the morning, stated to Taylor, "You say the equipment being left in Afghanistan concerns you."

"Absolutely, you know it's one thing to leave that country the way we did and leave the equipment behind, but to leave Americans...," said Taylor of Dinwiddie. "Every creed of our military says 'You do not leave people behind.' And, to leave the equipment with a known terrorist organization...unacceptable. It's completely unacceptable from the Biden Administration."

What does Taylor want to hear from the Commander and Chief as well as the Joint Chiefs?

"They need to step up. They took an oath in the Office to protect us and leaving the equipment behind, leaving Americans behind, that does not," said Taylor. "It's just unacceptable."

Breakfast Buzz

Retired realtor Martha Casey was alerted to "Fox & Friends" shooting live from the City of Colonial Heights by her daughter Ella from Georgia who keeps up with The Progress-Index.

Setting the stage for his next interviewee, Jones said, "Martha's family has served in every single war since The Revolution. Why was this one different?"

"Because our country has been betrayed. We have traitors who have given our soldiers' lives and have given money and stuff to terrorists, and it is not a good thing," said Casey of Chesterfield. "Freedom is what this country stands for and if people understand that freedom - and where it comes from - then, they will appreciate it, and stand, and fight for it."

After Jones mentioned to his viewers that he had been hearing Casey's same sentiment all morning, he migrated to the next table over to chat with two diners who were both veterans and former law enforcement.

Jones asked Curtis Hise to explain why he feels the Afghan military withdrawal was a slap in the face.

"I believe we were in Afghanistan for all the right reasons. I believe our troops there kept us safer here, and the hasty, irresponsible manner in which we left was a slap in their face," said Hise of Chester. "I believe that our troops won the war there and our leaders...our so-called leaders...surrendered our victory, and I think that's disgraceful."

The final interview with Hise's friend Steven Desrochers of Prince George was very moving.

Jones inquired,"What are your thoughts on the way we left this war approaching 9/11? Was the victory in vain? Was the service in vain?"

After Desrochers responded...never,he got choked upbut quickly regained composure.

"Being military...it's always good to serve. They served well. I have friends that went to Afghanistan, went to Iraq, and didn't come back," said Desrochers. "I just want to know...where do we go from here? What do we do? How do we repair our relationship with the world...with our allies."

Desrochers doesn't know how the country is going to restore credibility back with its allies, and he is afraid China is just going to look at this as another step to take Taiwan.

Speaking to the camera, Jones said he had been hearing raw emotion when diners talked about leaving people behind.

"The 13 veterans lost that paid the ultimate sacrifice. They went there to get our people back. They sacrificed their lives to get our people back," said Jones. "Veterans and their families are saying that they dishonor them by not making sure that every American was on the planes before they left."

"Obviously, it was very positive for the restaurant. It got a lot of national exposure," said Keystone Truck and Tractor Museum and Keystone Grill owner Keith Jones of Chesterfield. "I think it was a good thing. It gave Fox News an opportunity to inquire as to what our patrons think about the Afghanistan refugees coming to Fort Lee."

The Keystone Grillinside the Keystone Truck and Tractor Museum located at 880 W. Roslyn Road in Colonial Heights serves breakfast and lunch seven days a week from 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. Visit keystonetractorworks.com for more information.

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- Kristi K. Higgins aka The Social Butterfly columnist is the trending topics and food Q&A reporter at The Progress-Index. Have a news tip on local trends or businesses? Contact Kristi (she, her) at khiggins@progress-index.com, follow @KHiggins_PI on Twitter, and subscribe to us at progress-index.com.