Sean's Blog

I attended the L.A. premiere of The Ground Truth last night at AGAPE Spiritual Center in Culver City.  It was an amazing event that hundreds of people turned out to be a part of.  Some big names were there, Cher, Vondie Curtis Hall, Vanessa Williams, industry execs, etc., but most importantly the crowd consisted of people that had a genuine concern for the troops.  Look I'm certainly grateful for the celebrity interest.  The fact that they were there gets the media to pay attention and in turn tunes in this rest of the country.  I'm also grateful for the people who worked from 8am to 5pm, dealt with traffic and then spent their evening witnessing first hand reports of the experience on the ground in Iraq.

As we approach the theatrical release of the film this Friday @ Landmark Theatres throughout the country, my hope is renewed that this film can highlight the sacrifices made by veterans.  It's one that has largely been ignored by both the government and the citizenry.  Maybe, just maybe, this film will make a difference.

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• #2 Comment from mhs91x 
  9/16/06 2:35 AM | Permalink

  (continued from first entry) I love that times are changing and the term "be a man. be a soldier, show no emotion"  is being redefined and no longer acceptable.  the new phrase I forsee occurring is"take a stand, have courage, have strength to look in the mirror and look within and decide what is right for you and not everyone else".  You definitely have taken a courageous step.  I wish the "grunts" over seas would have been directed to talk to us counselors more, but as you and I both know, it's a different world over there and emotions are not an option.  War should not be an option either. Humanity IS slowly but surely evolving and it's people like you that lead the way to change and growth.  It's people like you who keep hope alive. and as it was stated in your movie, without hope, we have nothing.  So thank you for your courage in speaking out and tapping into many men and women that can relate to you whether it be from the battlefield of Iraq or the battle field of their homes.  and to answer your question that you did not directly ask in your last sentence, yes  this film is/will make a difference but more importantly it will help to heal your heart and make you an even better man......
                              a fellow soldier - USARMY NG 91X mental health specialist
• #1 Comment from mhs91x 
  9/16/06 2:34 AM | Permalink

  Hello Sean!  I just saw your film at the landmark theatre in West LA.  I went to the 1930 showing and heard you answer questions afterwards.  Thought the film was great!  It helps people to better understand what it is we soldiers go through and what we see, and what it is like when we return.  I say "we"  because I am a vet myself.  I only have one tiny gripe about your movie.  It did not clearly empasize the availabiltiy of counseling overseas.  It just seemed like a soldier went through what they went through and weren't given any type of assistant in a counseling while over seas.  I do recall in the film it was mentioned about diagnosis and trying to keep people in Iraq as oppose to send them home.  but no real emphasis of the fact that there are psychiatrist, psycologists, and mental health specialist on duty 24/7.  Guess I was looking for that a little bit sense i am a mental health specialist and I was over there for 10 months.  I actually was not quite sure what this film was going to be exactly about I just knew it was about soldiers who came back form Iraq. Naturally I had to see it (Through no fault of their own, my civilian friends do not understand the military lifestyle so I seek a connection through films and drill weekends!). I was pleased to hear that someone brought to light the mental challenges one goes through while in a hostile envrionment.  Also glad that a "grunt"  was honest about how he felt about the whole political aspect of it all, and that he actually took a step forward and said "hey something is not quite right with me and this scenario, I'm not going to pretend for the  rest of my life that war did not effect me" (continued in next entry)