Iraq War veteran James Blake Miller

The Marlboro Marine: This is a short film about James Blake Miller (no relation), a veteran whose photograph became one of the iconic images of the Iraq War, thanks to a photo snapped by Los Angeles Times photographer Luis Sinco. It's a moving piece about the struggles he went through after returning from the war, with conflicting feelings of guilt for having killed people and also survivor's guilt over fellow soldiers who had died. The link includes several articles about Miller from the LA Times.

Miller felt suicidal, to the point of making specific plans about how he could kill himself. He says he even came close to killing himself in Iraq. His marriage broke up.

Part of how he coped was to become active in a motorcycle club that gave him some of the feeling of group comradeship without the having to kill people part. He also talks about the feeling that only other veterans could relate to what he had experienced and was feeling. (I take it that he means combat veterans.)

A couple of Miller's comments in the film stuck out for me:

Most people want to help a returned vet by celebrating them coming home. The question that needs to be asked instead of, you know, "Hey can I throw you a party? Can I buy you a beer?", the question that needs to be asked is,you know, "Hey, How are you doin'? How are you feeling?" Y'know, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

And, on his current feelings about the Iraq War:

"What have we gained as a country? What have we actually accomplished? Other than the loss of some damn fine people?"

The is one of many reasons why I hate the glorification of war. No matter how just the war, no matter how good the political or military outcome, war takes a terrible toll on everyone directly caught up in it. And the public rhetoric idolizing "the troops" can help create a barrier for veterans trying to reintegrate into society after tough combat experiences. We should never go to war unless we really have to.

The video credits Miller himself with most of the original music for the film.

Tags: iraq war, james blake miller