By: Bridget M. Carlson
USMC Hangout Founder
February 23, 2010
This is a documentary of the invasion of Iraq from a Marine First Lieutenant. This is real footage, with real Marines. This is not your Hollywood war.
My husband, who is in the Army and has been deployed three times to Iraq, and myself sat down to watch this movie. Usually I watch movies that are awaiting review by myself. However, due to the story line of this movie I asked my husband to watch it with me. As a Military wife, I have always tried to imagine what it is our men and women in the military go through. My husband has always had problems telling me the stories due to what he witnessed and what he had to do. Pictures I would see would be during the “good” times over there.
My husband has PTSD due to what he witnessed and the way he had to live for 15 months in Iraq. When we invaded Iraq, my husband was with the 3rd ID and crossed the burm when the engineers blew a hole in it. Although he has found the courage since then to talk to me about his time there, I up until now could only picture in my head what I imagined it to be like. This movie did so much more in helping me to understand just what it is he had gone through and the death and destruction he witnessed on a day to day basis. In turn, this movie has also helped me to regain a better understanding of his PTSD. It should be a requirement of every politician in Washington to watch this movie. Maybe then our military members and veterans who have PTSD, would get better treatment rather than being sent along their merry way.
Family and friends of those returning, this is a must watch movie for you. Spouses, let your service member talk to you. Yes the stories may be gory. Let this movie help you to better understand what is was that he/she went through. Help them. Our politicians in Washington have turned their back on them, don’t follow in their lead.
I do want to place a side note here to our readers. This movie is graphic and has a lot of profanity. This is not a movie children should be allowed to watch. You will see death. It’s not a pretty site. It is war.