Sugar Coating Situations

While watching a war movie do you ever think that a certain situation is not realistic or that the movie is too sugar coated? When I watch a war movie I judge what happens in war by what happens in a movie.  Some movies do not actually depict the truth of war. However, Restrepo was a movie that was filmed during the war in the Korengal Valley, and everything is completely reliable. Are most war movies 100% reliable like Restrepo?

A couple war movies that are sugar coated are The Hurt Locker, and Black Hawk Down. Black Hawk Down’s director was not interested in politics when directing this movie. When dealing with a war movie it should be common sense that the movie will influence how people view the war. Black Hawk Down does not depict how war really is, which makes you wonder if it is true that no one is left behind when injured. The Hurt Locker is another terrific movie that attempts to depict the life of a bomb squad member. Yes, the movie shows the connection between those in the squad, but the men were just actors. With actors it is harder for the viewer to connect with the soldiers. Sergeant James in the movie was based off a real person, but Sergeant James did not appreciate the way the movie viewed him, which the view was very hard headed. Both of the movies were more interested in making money rather than depicting the truth to America. They might show you the general idea, but the scenes given are not 100% trustworthy.

On the other hand, Restrepo is an amazing movie that explains war very well. Restrepo was filmed by journalists who actually lived with the platoon in the Korengal Valley. All of the scenes are real, reliable, and 100% true.  Restrepo was filmed at war on site with the soldiers and you can totally see what it was like. The movie shows you how close the soldiers really are from fighting to joking around. Also, from losing a leader of their own to just missing their family back home you can see them mourn for each other. When Restrepo was filmed no actors were involved, therefore, you can see  the relationship between soldiers. The goal of the movie was for those who may be curious or even those who just need a reality check to see how things really work in war.

America needs a wake-up call to put us in soldier’s boots to see what war is really like. War is more than just fighting.  War is about someone who is willing to die for the person to their left or right and your country . The article “Restrepo: is this the greatest war film ever?” states, “Society puts these men in a group, makes them bond in a brotherhood, and uses that as mechanism by which men will kill and be killed for each other.” War movies should not consist of how it should be or could be or even what it is almost like. Do you think war movies should be more of a reliable source to how war really is?

Changing Lives Forever

 Have you ever known someone who goes on a trip for a while and comes back as a different person? PTSD is a very vigorous anxiety disorder that takes over a soldier and comes about after witnessing something like war. PTSD is the abbreviation for posttraumatic stress disorder. PTSD takes a large toll on soldiers who possess the disorder, therefore they change into another human being who ends up being very timid and anxious.

 

What are the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder? Depression, struggling to relate to and getting along with those who are close to your heart, and having nightmares and flashbacks about those events that caused you to have PTSD are just a few of the signs of PTSD. Depression in war can be the result of losing a close buddy from the same unit or even a job change. Stress and depression can go hand-in-hand in war. When preparing for deployment a soldier has a lot on their shoulders from leaving their family to not knowing if they will survive. When a soldier is depressed they may drink more alcohol than what they used to just because the alcohol relaxes them and gets their minds off of things. When a soldier comes back from war the relationships with their loved ones may be tough. They have problems connecting and communicating with their loved ones, therefore as a result they may isolate themselves. Lastly, some traumatic events are engraved in their heads. Many soldiers cannot even go to bed without having to worry about having a nightmare about something tragic that they witnessed. The effect of having nightmares for one may be a sleeping disorder. These awful events that they witness run through their heads during the night or the day. There is no escape from PTSD.

 

   

When should one get help and treatments for PTSD? If someone has been diagnosed with PTSD and they do not receive treatment for it then the disorder may worsen. According to The Better Health Channel, “If you experience a tragic event and you have the symptoms of PTSD, after two weeks it is important that you get attention to help you cope with the situation.” Many soldiers may threaten to harm someone or themselves. Soldiers are in need of help and direction. Overall if sleeping difficulties, irritability, and trouble performing tasks appear or begin to develop; they need to receive help. What treatments are available to one who has PTSD? When a loved one has PTSD one of the best medicines for them is support. Without support it is hard for anyone to move on from a bad experience. To receive help for PTSD you can get help from the following: psychiatrist, social worker, doctor, psychologist. Psychological treatment is the main treatment used for PTSD. A psychological treatment consist of confronting and talking through the issue. Mood stabilizers may be given to those who struggle with PTSD.

 

Posttraumatic stress disorder is changing the lives of veterans. Those veterans will never be the same when attacked by this disorder. If you know of someone with PTSD let them know that you support them and care about them.

 

America versus Rebels?

Syrian Rebels

   When you were younger did you ever get into something that your parents told you not to, but they weren't paying attention so you did it anyway? War with Syria can make one question America's purpose in war. Did the United States take the right action not proceeding with going to war with Syria?
    America is already in tons of debt. War with Syria could have caused our debt rate to skyrocket even more. America is already involved with many other wars. According to National Priorities Project, “Every hour, taxpayers in the United States are paying $11.26 million for Total Cost of Wars Since 2001.”  $11.26 million is what American taxpayers pay for war in just Afghanistan and Iraq. To see America’s debt refer to the U.S. Debt Clock. All of the debt that America is in is mind-boggling. With so many citizens being unemployed in the United States along with some being disabled, our citizens should be a priority to this country. Getting involved in something that could be pointless and just a waste of money should not be something that the government focuses on.
    Secondly, America does not need to become involved in someone else’s civil war. According to Robert H. Scales, “As the Israelis learned in 1973, the Syrians are tough and mean-spirited killers with nothing to lose.” Syrian “rebels” are not afraid to fight back and will do whatever it takes to have control of the war. The article With Obama on the War Path  reads, “Another potential consequence of a U.S. attack on Syria would be a broader regional war that could inflame the entire Middle East and possibly the world.” The Christians and Shias do not want the United States to get involved because they say if we were to become more involved a world war may break out.  I believe that as Americans we should respect the fact that the Muslims and Christians in Syria are done with intervention because they say it is causing friendships to be destroyed. If the United States were to bomb Syria, the innocent could end up harmed and hurt which would defeat the purpose. The religious leaders in Syria are for peaceful reforms. The citizens of Syria want to prove a point that they can do it without help and that help from other countries is not always the best alternative.
    Lastly, Obama needs to bring home troops not keep sending them out. Many families have lasted months and years without their loved ones because of war. Yes, they signed up to serve our country but they also have the right see their loved ones. In February 2013 CNN announced, “President Barack Obama announced in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday night that some 34,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan will have returned home by this time next year.” What is the point of bringing the troops home if he is going to send them back out to another country to fight, almost immediately?
    War with Syria would have caused more trouble for both Syria and the United States and possibly even the world. We need to let Syria try to overcome their issues as they wish. America has no business dealing with Syria.