American Sons

When one serves their country, what is the cost of that time? Some make it home while others don’t, but do they ever reallycome back the same? For Jorge “JV” Villarreal and the men of India Battery 3/12, their lives are only a mere fraction of indication to the way war changes you. Directed by Andrew James Gonzales,  the documentary American Sons is a tribute to men like JV Villarreal who have served their country…and the struggle to continue surviving afterwards.

JV was a former United States Marine Corps soldier who was stationed in one of the most dangerous zones in Kajaki, Afghanistan…and lost his life in serving his country. With a positive attitude and a camera by his side, JV recorded his experience in the Marine Corp as well as of his friends and fellow soldiers that were stationed with him in India Battery 3/12. With testimony from not only JV’s family but friends such as Angel Rios, Billy Branch and Ty Klinman, JV’s life and time served is pieced together. From starting out in basic to life in Kajaki, JV paints a vivid portrait of the life he chose as a marine….not knowing the ultimate price he would pay for it.

Gonzales really hits home with this documentary. War is brutal. It is messy and unforgiving and in the current military climate, the realities of war and its repercussions are hard to describe to those who have not lived it. While this story focuses on JV and his ultimate sacrifice, American Sons is more than just his. In the aftermath, JV’s family has felt the profound loss of their loved one. His fellow friends and soldiers have been hurt as well and are still grappling with their new reality years after their time served. War affects more than those who have given their lives….it is the people around that soldier that are affected, too.

The effects of war at home were best described in Angel and Ty’s interactions and friendship, as Angel continues to try and lift his friend out of the proverbial hole he has placed himself in…while continuing to struggle with his own PTSD. Ty’s struggles years after his time in Kajaki paints a harsh portrait as he seeks ways to numb the pain and Angel works to make sure that Ty gets the help that he needs. As Angel helps Ty clean his apartment and urges him to get help, you can sense that both men are dealing with their own struggles since their time in Kajaki. What I appreciate is that Gonzales did not hold back in allowing the viewer to witness the true price of war and how those who survived it are still struggling to do so on a daily basis. The PTSD, anger, numbness and fight to make it through another day.

Yet there is hope. Even years after JV’s death, the troops of India Battery 3/12 continue to gather…thanks in part to the Warrior Reunion Foundation. They help JV’s family honor him yearly. They meet and tell their stories from their time served. They work together to heal, to grow, and to find ways to smile again. There will always be pain, but in that pain….there is always possibility. For more information on the Warrior Reunion Foundation, please visit https://www.warriorreunionfoundation.org/.