Severe Clear is a movie made by a LT of the Marine Core, showing real footage of the Iraq war in 2003. First Lieutenant Mike Scotti records the trials the members of the 1st. Battalion, 4th Marines and himself go through as they push forward for Baghdad in the beginning of the Iraq war. I was fortunate to hear about this film which was produced by SIRK Production and can now be viewed throughout many venues across the U.S.
I’m 1 hour into the film and it really is what the producers say it is, a film depicting the chaos and emotions of war. It’s a film that isn’t edited to portray a political meaning, nor is it a film to portray just the bad side of war. It’s a film that is as real as it can get for a viewer who has never seen war, a film that hides nothing from the viewer as I see images of death, destruction, happiness, loneliness, fear, and bravery. Chaos can be seen and heard, when filming is done during the night; tracers can be seen and screams can be heard as LT. Scotti and his comrades run face to face with the enemy.
This is a film for those who don’t care to support the Veterans, those who volunteered and those who were drafted to go fight not only for the United States, but for the well being of other citizens of other countries that they owed nothing too. This is a film for the politicians who dare to vote to decrease spending on benefits for these soldiers, this is a film for the protesters who dare to interfere with a soldiers funeral and this is a film for those who aren’t thankful for the freedoms we have, because if it’s not directly affecting them, then why should they care.
As I watch this film, I flashback to that day when 9/11 took place, that day when I was doing my duties as an entry controller at Elmendorf AFB. I remember after working extra hours that morning and returning back to my squadron, my squad and myself were briefed about being prepared to possibly being sent to war. However that day never came for me and in 2003 I separated from the Air Force while the Marines and Army were on stop loss, a word I never heard of until that day.
Till this day I still get the feelings of leaving my friends behind, friends that became family to me who still serve and deploy to the war zone. I sometimes think that I should be there alongside these guys and when the news came that two of our men from my squadron were K.I.A during a deployment in Iraq, that’s when it hit me. I started thinking to myself I had made a mistake by leaving the military during the time of war. Though it was a great feeling to have completed my enlistment with the Air Force and ready to start college, there was nothing tougher then getting on that plane to come back home knowing I was leaving my friends behind who may find themselves in the war zone in the coming months.
When I arrived back home everyone welcomed me with open arms and smiles, even from people who I had never met before. The questions though began immediately, wondering if there was a possibility I could be called back in and what would I do. Well there was no thought to the answer for that question, as I watched the news on the war alongside my father (Vietnam Veteran). I knew if I was called back in to serve and fight, I would be more than ready to be there alongside my friends and the other members of the 3rd Security Forces.
Severe Clear shows its viewers the real images and sounds of war; some good moments as the members of 1st battalion, 4th Marines show their humorous side, to scenes of chaos when confronted by the enemy. The film may not be for everyone and I can understand, though I feel this is the film for all of those looking to see what war is really all about.
Severe Clear hides nothing from it’s viewers. This is real footage of war, which I urge all to view to gain a little more understanding as to why our men and women are returning home from the battle field and being diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Over 400,000 war Veterans suffer from PTSD today and that’s not counting the many more veterans who have yet to come forward to get help.
Article by Truthout.org