Posted on Apr 27, 2015
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This past weekend, I was catching up on my favorite TV shows and an ad for an episode of "NCIS: Los Angeles" came on. What I saw really made me upset. The preview of the upcoming episode was that there was a Veteran who returned home from war only to pick up a rifle and target civilians in and around the city.
While I understand that TV needs to sell and all that. But what is making me upset is the number of TV shows going to this plot over and over again. All these do is set back all our efforts to show Veterans as the strong and driven future leaders that we are.
What is the point of continuously showing Veterans as these crazed, gun carrying crazy people unable to transition into the community? Why not show some of our battles but in a way that let's Veterans and the general community know that what we are going through, the battles within, are happening to others. That you aren't alone. That there are people out here willing and able to help.
The idea of us all being a crazy, gun carrying, crazy person has passed it's prime. I feel that if we come together on one united front as brothers and sisters-in-arms, we can help show people what Veterans are really made of. And hopefully, we impact Veterans directly.
TV Show, Transition,
While I understand that TV needs to sell and all that. But what is making me upset is the number of TV shows going to this plot over and over again. All these do is set back all our efforts to show Veterans as the strong and driven future leaders that we are.
What is the point of continuously showing Veterans as these crazed, gun carrying crazy people unable to transition into the community? Why not show some of our battles but in a way that let's Veterans and the general community know that what we are going through, the battles within, are happening to others. That you aren't alone. That there are people out here willing and able to help.
The idea of us all being a crazy, gun carrying, crazy person has passed it's prime. I feel that if we come together on one united front as brothers and sisters-in-arms, we can help show people what Veterans are really made of. And hopefully, we impact Veterans directly.
TV Show, Transition,
TV
Transition
PTSD
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 36
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I can't stand when people say that they don't support the troops because they don't support the government's decisions on the war. You can not support the war all you want but give some love to the service me and women who are or have fought in the various wars.
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SGT Ben Keen
SPC (Join to see), I'm not sure if you read my opening discussion but this thread doesn't have anything to do really with the lack of support for Veterans. In this discussion, my point is that the view some, and I mean some people have of us is based on these shows. They may support us. They may donate to our support but in the back of their mind, due to shows like the one I stated, they picture us as these broken crazy people when in reality we are changing the world in positive ways.
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I watched about ten years of this BS during the 70s/80s absolutely EVERY nutcase on TV and in the movies was without exception a Viet Nam veteran. All I can say is suck it up, it's gonna happen, they hate you in Hollywood.....it'll pass.
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SGT Ben Keen
There is no doubt Cpl Dennis F. that this sort of thing has been going on for far to long. Lord know, it's only because of the totally bullcrap that the Vietnam Veterans came home to that we, the Post 9/11 Veterans have it so good. But I challenge you to this thought. Rather than sucking it up and just letting it pass; what are some things we can do as Veterans to show Hollywood that their image of us is wrong?
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SSG Bruce Booker
Rhetorical question for Sgt. Keen: Can we show Hollywood something that they refuse to see? (There's a tired old saying, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.")
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Cpl Dennis F.
SGT Ben Keen I suggest that they know full well that the image they portray is wrong. They just don't care. They are making money on BS and you/we are just too small of a group of society for them to be concerned about, or affect them and their bottom line in any significant manner. We really are an elite minority with little power, look at the numbers.
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I agree with you there is enough violence on TV now days. Veterans suffering from PTSD are not going out and shoot on up people and towns. I'm sure sometimes it happens but normal citizens do that too
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In the Movie "Thank you for Smoking" they make a comment about RAV's being the only one's who smoke in movies anymore. RAV's are Russians, Arabs, & Villains.
It's an intentional stereotype perpetuated because "heroes" don't smoke. They don't do things that are against societal norms. In the case of this movie, smoking.
For the purpose of your Show (NCIS:LA), they needed a Villain. Normal People don't go on "Gun Rampages." Cops don't go on gun rampages. They needed a gun rampage (story device). And they didn't have a Russian or an Arab... so they invented a Villain. Unfortunately, certain segments of society are "off-limits."
We can't make this DIRECTLY about "mental health." That's off limits. We can't make it a socio-economic issue. That's off-limits. But no one likes war. So, people returning from war... they're fair game.
It's an intentional stereotype perpetuated because "heroes" don't smoke. They don't do things that are against societal norms. In the case of this movie, smoking.
For the purpose of your Show (NCIS:LA), they needed a Villain. Normal People don't go on "Gun Rampages." Cops don't go on gun rampages. They needed a gun rampage (story device). And they didn't have a Russian or an Arab... so they invented a Villain. Unfortunately, certain segments of society are "off-limits."
We can't make this DIRECTLY about "mental health." That's off limits. We can't make it a socio-economic issue. That's off-limits. But no one likes war. So, people returning from war... they're fair game.
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I agree with your comments, another show which is currently American Odyssey in which the latest episode claims that the Government profits in the Death of overseas Military service men and women.
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Veterans are honored and appreciated by a noticeable segment of the population. But everyone only knows a little bit about us, and that's perfect for story-tellers to fill in the blanks. A crazed veteran can make a convincing and compelling bogeyman.
I doubt there's much more to it than that. But, I don't even have cable.
I doubt there's much more to it than that. But, I don't even have cable.
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I actually watched this episode and it was not just some returning vet picking up a weapon and shooting people. The Veteran was in a VA hospital for PTSD and someone from his old unit was involved with some group that disliked Muslims. He was giving the vet some drug to make him more susceptible to suggestions and brain washing and convinced him to leave the hospital and join them. He was eventually stopped and returned to the hospital and his family.
So the show did not portray returning veterans as gun carrying crazies, but as people that need help and that there are people out there that really do want to help them.
So the show did not portray returning veterans as gun carrying crazies, but as people that need help and that there are people out there that really do want to help them.
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i Want to clarify my statement from earlier in regards to this subject. I was by no means justifying the glorification of "broken Vets" by Hollywierd. However, since, NCIS is a show that is centered around investigating crimes related to the military, a vet with PTSD that snaps would natrually fall into the storylines. But, what this show has done is without being preachy, pointed out statistics of veteran suicides, shown what the affects of PTSD can do to a persons everyday life (one of the main characters of Los Angeles suffers from it from being tortured but he isn't military), and how life can be for our loved ones when we were/are not home. But, just as it has been said to Christians, Blacks(I am btw), and any one else that doesn't like how the industry portrays them, maybe it's time the services started making their own movies. We know that we are not purely the heros in the white hats, but we also know that we are not these distrubed monsters either. If we want to see the real life we lead/led, perhaps it's time we started telling the stories and not allowing other to politicize it regardless of their agenda.
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Suspended Profile
well with 22 committing suicide a day something is broken
SGT Ben Keen
SSG Derek Varchulik - I fully agree with you. Something is broken. However, this type of mess happening in the media doesn't help. Say a Veteran is having issues, is about to go to the VA to finally get help but then doesn't because he/she is afraid of being labeled. They then stay home, let things build and build with the result of joining those 22 a day. That is part of the problem. Veterans doesn't want to be labeled. And by giving the population this image of us being this crazy gun carrying idiots only further drives a spike between those needing help and those able to give it.
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Suspended Profile
Sgt Ben I agree with you I believe the stigma against veterans is extremely detrimental to the treatment towards them! If one wants help, lets give it to him or her and not threaten rendering one of them incompetent & unable to manage their funds and then try to take their 2nd amendment rights away... just another arbitrary atrocity committed towards a veterans...on a daily basis..
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I don't think so. Television thrives on sensationalism and there is little or none to be had with a soldier who comes home and is able to reenter civilian life without drastic mental and/or physical issues.
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