War is glorified in film, the “heroics” romanticized, and the true cost glossed over by everyone except those directly experiencing it. This film was the antithesis of that depiction and something I wish everyone could draw upon as they decide what type of leaders to support, what types of experiences matter for elected officials, and what approach to international relations is beneficial for us and the rest of the world.

In practice, maybe supporting the troops is more than displaying a patriotic bumper sticker or pulling on an acronym-papered tee. Maybe it’s collectively evaluating the polices we support via the votes we cast that lead to the wars we eventually regret in one way or another. Maybe it’s educating ourselves to ensure that we are casting votes that actually support service members by not sending them into unnecessary conflict, by fairly paying them, by providing them with proper medical care, and by addressing the well-known issues of sexual assault and of post-service homelessness and suicide.

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