Restrepo

Restrepo – a gut-wrenching documentary of life on a small OP and the everyday challenges of survival and sanity. National Geographic aired, in total, Sebastian Junger’s and Tim Hetherington’s yearlong videologue of a platoon’s activity in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley. It is the best, most honest, and apolitical documentary I have seen in the recent past.

I have always been proud of the 20 years I spent in service to our nation. I felt privileged to have the opportunity to serve with Fifth Special Forces Group (as a conventional fire supporter) during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm. But I have to say that my “100 Hour War” looked nothing like what these guys are going through in Afghanistan, and by extension, Iraq. When talking with the LVN Centurion this morning, his comment was, “there wasn’t any snow in Viet Nam,” but apart from that the war looked pretty much the same.

I was taken with the inter-personal dynamics captured by film, as well as the opportunity for insights reference Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTP) over time. When the platoon first started their patrols, I thought they were bunched a little too close together. As the year progressed, I noted that their patrol formation took on a good, disciplined dispersion, even in the rough, mountainous terrain. I was especially satisfied to note the freedom of expression by junior members of the platoon. In one instance the Platoon Leader gave instruction to basically charge a hill. One of the rifle team members pointed out that if they didn’t “bound”, they were going to lose their butts. Good input; accepted and applied. It was also good to see the interaction of teammates at the OP – grab-a$$ing around, making jokes, being obnoxious – you know, doing the things that soldiers do to express, “I love you, man.” My wife was a little surprised by how much the “F” word was thrown around. I assured her it was fairly represented, and I was somewhat impressed with how little “MF” was used.

I couldn’t help but be impressed with then-Captain Kearney’s leadership. He had just the right mix of compassion, mission orientation, humor and hard-ass. He obviously loved his men, but was not afraid to remind them of why they were there and the implied cost of choices they made at enlistment. Heart-breaking grief, mourning, and “Charlie Mike” (continue mission) – been there, done that. I loved CPT Kearney’s hooah speech to his guys, after Charlie Company took heavy losses; watermelon throat and sweaty eyeballs more than once.

Having spent some time in the Human Terrain business, I found leadership’s interaction with the village elders quite insightful. How do these young guys learn exactly when to be apologetic (we killed your cow) and when to tell the elders, “I don’t give a f*ck?” You can’t get better guys than this.

Almost as upsetting as the combat itself was seeing the ghosts with which these guys have to deal. It’s going to be a long, slow recovery. We owe it to them to ensure they are given the means.

Overall, I finished the viewing proud to be an American, proud to be a soldier, and proud to show the world what our guys are made of. A living tribute to an unassuming medic, this is a must see.

Mike L.