Iconic imagery

Some say a picture is worth a thousand words. Some of the most iconic images captured during war depict very powerful moments. They have also assisted in shaping modern history. Below are two images that are massively replicated and comes to mind when thinking about the imagery of war.

"The raising of the flag at Iwo Jima is perhaps the most famous war photograph ever. The flag was raised by five US marines and one navy corpsman atop Mount Suribachi in 1945. Iwo Jima was the first piece of Japanese national soil to be captured by the Americans "

  

"This particular photo commemorates the spontaneous event that occurred in Times Square when victory over Japan was proclaimed by President Truman. Since then, the photograph has come to represent VJ Day and the end of WWII "

  There are many photos that you come across that depict vial occurrences while fighting a war. The gruesome pictures of death and defeat encompass an individual’s mind when visualizing combat. But I wanted to focus more on a lighter more blissful note. Too many times we are reminded of the negative effects of war. The pictures above release a sensual feeling of accomplishment and freedom. These images are iconic for a reason. Many like to reflect back on these pictures to hold on to peace and hope.

It is always good to be reminded of the good times while being a soldier. It allows for these strong men and women to embrace the changes that have been made in America, because if it haven't been for them these changes might not even be possible. Every victory is a milestone in American history and something that should be celebrated for many years to come. The way we document these historical moments is through photography. Photography is a essential part of history and reflecting back on our actions. 

American Sniper : movie review

There are plenty of war movies that try and depict the actions and causalities of war. I think the most recent film to come out that was the closest to legitimacy and realism concerning a soldier's experience was American Sniper. 

It focused on the life of Chris Kyle who is internationally known for his sharp shooting and 160 confirmed kills. This film contains some of the more intense battle scenes in recent memory. It’s deafening, explosive, and uncomfortably intimate. It does its best to serve a plate of honesty about the whole thing from the main character's point of view to the American military in Iraq to the vets who come home severely wounded, and try to rebuild their lives after seeing combat.

This movie focuses almost exclusively on Kyle’s four tours in Iraq, and his often strained marriage. It is not just the prolonged absences that cause the problems, but the when these guys return home they are scarred, and often mad at our first-world problems while their friends are off fighting a war that so often we pay no attention to on a daily basis. An underlying message of the film is the reality that what so many of these vets hate about combat is the same thing that keeps pulling them back in.

This film was derived and based on Kyle’s best-selling book,  he collaborated with Bradley Cooper, who played him in the film, and he also served as a producer on the movie before his death. This movie is portrayed through Kyle's perspective, but it does not put him on a pedestal. He was not some Super Dad or Super Husband, and he was not easy to deal with upon his return home from any of his tours. But he was good at his job, and it makes no apologies for it.

The most moving part of this movie was that it was based on real life events and the unfortunate events soldiers endure.  Kyle decided to dedicate his life to helping vet's adapt back into society and live as a civilian, unfortunately his life was taken in the processing of assisting a former soldier who suffered psychologically effects from being deployed and killed Kyle while they were at a gun range. 

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/the-big-mac-blog/article7548743.html#storylink=cpy