thedrifter
05-04-09, 06:03 AM
Veterans open up in documentary
They talk of war, injuries, changes
By Emily Canal, Globe Correspondent | May 4, 2009
Four retired servicemen sat at separate tables at the University of Massachusetts at Boston last night. They shared a common denominator: All were injured in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Jamil Brown, 35, of Dorchester, a retired Marine staff sergeant, said he lost his right foot and suffered injuries to his arms and elbow in Iraq after his Humvee was hit by an improvised explosive device during a supply delivery.
"The Marines train you to adapt and overcome anything, but they don't prepare you for that," Brown said. "You thought you would get killed or nothing would happen to you. I didn't expect to come home missing a body part."
Brown and the other young veterans were on hand last night for the advanced and private screening of the NECN documentary about their shared experiences.
"Aftermath" tells the stories of Brown, Jeff Zaleski, 24, of West Springfield, Peter Damon, 36, of Middleborough, and James Crosby, 24, of Winthrop, and how they coped with their injuries when they return home.
Interviews began last summer and they depict the men at work, with their families and with their changed bodies.
"They are coming home to struggles and transitions with wounds or injuries," said Iris Adler, writer and producer of the hourlong documentary, scheduled to air at 7 p.m. today on NECN.
"It was a great privilege to hear their stories and share their stories," Adler, an executive editor of NECN, said in an interview before the premier.
"Aftermath" is the fourth installment of Adler's documentary series about war. Her previous films are "Hidden Wounds," about soldiers returning with post-traumatic stress disorder; "Remember Us," a tribute to the New England servicemen who died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars; and "A Stroke of Kindness," a film about artists who donate work to relatives of those killed.
Senator John F. Kerry, who attended the event, said before last night's presentation that the subjects made "enormous" sacrifices. "Everyone now gets to know about the lives of these folks coming home."
Damon said his injuries were a little different than the other servicemen featured. He worked as a mechanic for the Massachusetts National Guard and lost both arms in October 2003 while inflating the tire of a Blackhawk helicopter in Balad, Iraq. The wheel assembly exploded, injuring Damon and killing his partner, Paul Bueche of the Alabama Army National Guard.
"I hope this raises awareness and inspires someone to give someone else a hand who sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy today," Damon said. "Hopefully, people will get a better understanding of the stuff we have to deal with and the adjustment."
Brown said the hardest part was coming back and dealing with difficulties at home, such as going up and down stairs and adjusting to how people looked at him.
"I kept thinking, 'Why was it me?' " Brown said, adding that he hopes the film helps people understand the individuals who went overseas and came back with difficulties. "Unless you've been through it, it's hard to understand," he said.
Ellie
They talk of war, injuries, changes
By Emily Canal, Globe Correspondent | May 4, 2009
Four retired servicemen sat at separate tables at the University of Massachusetts at Boston last night. They shared a common denominator: All were injured in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Jamil Brown, 35, of Dorchester, a retired Marine staff sergeant, said he lost his right foot and suffered injuries to his arms and elbow in Iraq after his Humvee was hit by an improvised explosive device during a supply delivery.
"The Marines train you to adapt and overcome anything, but they don't prepare you for that," Brown said. "You thought you would get killed or nothing would happen to you. I didn't expect to come home missing a body part."
Brown and the other young veterans were on hand last night for the advanced and private screening of the NECN documentary about their shared experiences.
"Aftermath" tells the stories of Brown, Jeff Zaleski, 24, of West Springfield, Peter Damon, 36, of Middleborough, and James Crosby, 24, of Winthrop, and how they coped with their injuries when they return home.
Interviews began last summer and they depict the men at work, with their families and with their changed bodies.
"They are coming home to struggles and transitions with wounds or injuries," said Iris Adler, writer and producer of the hourlong documentary, scheduled to air at 7 p.m. today on NECN.
"It was a great privilege to hear their stories and share their stories," Adler, an executive editor of NECN, said in an interview before the premier.
"Aftermath" is the fourth installment of Adler's documentary series about war. Her previous films are "Hidden Wounds," about soldiers returning with post-traumatic stress disorder; "Remember Us," a tribute to the New England servicemen who died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars; and "A Stroke of Kindness," a film about artists who donate work to relatives of those killed.
Senator John F. Kerry, who attended the event, said before last night's presentation that the subjects made "enormous" sacrifices. "Everyone now gets to know about the lives of these folks coming home."
Damon said his injuries were a little different than the other servicemen featured. He worked as a mechanic for the Massachusetts National Guard and lost both arms in October 2003 while inflating the tire of a Blackhawk helicopter in Balad, Iraq. The wheel assembly exploded, injuring Damon and killing his partner, Paul Bueche of the Alabama Army National Guard.
"I hope this raises awareness and inspires someone to give someone else a hand who sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy today," Damon said. "Hopefully, people will get a better understanding of the stuff we have to deal with and the adjustment."
Brown said the hardest part was coming back and dealing with difficulties at home, such as going up and down stairs and adjusting to how people looked at him.
"I kept thinking, 'Why was it me?' " Brown said, adding that he hopes the film helps people understand the individuals who went overseas and came back with difficulties. "Unless you've been through it, it's hard to understand," he said.
Ellie