Pvt. Hunter Nines is about to join a war nearly as old as he is.
The 18-year-old discussed with ABC News his impending combat deployment to Afghanistan -- his first with the Army.
Nines said he hasn't given much thought to the fact he'll be serving in a conflict that's been going on since he was an infant. Nines is among 15,364 active-duty enlisted Army members who are 18 -- 1,052 of whom were born after the 9/11 attacks and 725 of whom were born after Oct. 7, 2001, and are still just 17.Nines acknowledges that the 9/11 attacks played only a small factor in his decision to enlist.
"I really liked the camaraderie they had and the care and interest they showed in me wanting to pursue it, and it's something that I just always really wanted to do," he added. "From what they've told me, it's more maintenance, more work, more flying -- obviously more missions since we're going to be overseas -- but nothing really a lot different than doing my job back home," he said.
But while Afghan security forces have improved, that's included engaging in heavy fighting with Taliban forces that now control almost half the country.
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