The war in Afghanistan claimed the lives of over 2,400 U.S. military personnel between 2001 and 2021.
The impact of the war continues to be felt today by veterans who came home. Over 140,000 veterans have died by suicide since 2001.
The new documentary American Sons explores the impact of the scars the war left behind in one group of Marines deployed to Afghanistan. It follows the deployment of 22-year-old San Antonio native, Cpl. Jorge “JV” Villarreal.
Villarreal took hours of personal footage to send to his family back home, sharing everything from his living quarters to the terrain where he and his brothers in arms walked.
Filmmakers Laura Varela and Andrew James Gonzales sifted through that footage to help tell Villarreal’s story and the physical and psychological effects of war.
Gonzales said the documentary highlights experiences of service members that often go unseen.
“We were exposed to the different themes that are going on with service members today: PTSD, TBI (traumatic brain injury), and different issues when returning to combat,” Gonzales said. “It was really just understanding JV (and) building a story around the footage that he gave us.”
Varela said she hoped the documentary sparks conversation regarding the treatment of servicemembers.
“Once we see that (veterans) are just like us, then we can empathize more and we can also hold our leaders accountable to where we send them and the care that they get when they get out of the military,” said Varela.
American Sons will be screened nationally on PBS Jan. 12. It will also be available for streaming on the PBS website and app.
Click here to view the film following the screening.
Watch a trailer below:
