OREM, Utah — About 1.5 million veterans have returned from combat in the Middle East, and many have seen unspeakable things on the battlefield. While the soldiers knew that their physical health was in jeopardy on the front line, they had no idea of the battle awaiting their mental health on their return to America."Reserved to Fight" follows four young men who fought in the Fox Company of Marine Reserve Unit 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines in Iraq and have returned to try to get back into regular life on the home front.The documentary, screened Jan. 23 at the 8th LDS Film Festival 2009 at the SCERA Center for the Arts, follows these young men throughout the four years after their return from Iraq. It is heart-wrenching to watch them struggle to fit in a world that doesn't understand what they went through."When you're faced with dying, getting shot at, your life is over, and everyone else is watching 'American Idol,' you feel very alone," says Sgt. Christopher J. Nibley.Nibley returned home from his duty in Iraq and started going to college in Utah. After a few months, he realized that he had a compelling need to be alone. He returned to his home in Seattle, depressed and reclusive. Though his family was happy to have him home, Nibley didn't feel like he belonged. He volunteered to go back to Iraq within six months of his return with the opinion that he wouldn't be personally satisfied with his efforts unless he died there.Lance Cpl. Earl Simmons dreamed of serving an LDS mission when he returned from Iraq. Within 10 months of starting his mission in South Africa, Simmons went home because of sleep deprivation and nightmares. He found solace in drinking his nightmares away. Within time, Simmons met a girl named Holly who helped him confront his problems and he started changing his life around. They were married last year in an LDS temple, and Simmons is scheduled to return to Iraq in October 2010.Lance Cpl. Mark Peterson did not have that same luck. When he returned from Iraq, he was determined to inform his fellow Americans about the true events happening in the Middle East. Peterson was bright and very opinionated, but his only self-medication was through raising awareness. It worked for the most part, but he kept pushing away those around him, especially those who cared for him. His girlfriend broke up with him because of stresses in their relationship, and it broke his heart. With the loss of stability now that his long-term girlfriend was gone, he realized that he had been ignoring his emotional scars since he had returned. Peterson returned to Iraq to continue in the operation Iraqi Freedom.Cpl. Matthew Jemmet tried pursuing a career in the military upon returning from Iraq but dropped out within 10 months. He found out he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder."I don't like going places. Since I've been home I've a hard time trusting people, I don't know what it is. Apparently I'm a little not right in the head or something. I don't know, that's what my therapist tells me," Jemmet tells the camera.Jemmet found solace in working at a wilderness therapy program for troubled youths in an isolated area. Though he believes in the cause he fought for, Jemmet does not plan on returning to Iraq anytime soon.Chantelle Squires, co-producer of "Reserved to Fight," decided to make this film after talking to her friend, Simmons, about his experienced and decided it was worth putting on film. She kept in touch with 20 men who were in the Fox Company but believed these four individuals' stories would make the most impact."Through the filming, they shared with me difficult, intimate moments and feelings that they hadn't even expressed to their families. ... I am grateful for the honesty and openness of these young men, and I know their stories will be an inspiration to all those who watch the film," Squires said.The Voice for Veterans Outreach Program has been started to help veterans cope with past conflicts and get them the help they need."I was trained to fight, I was well-trained to fight and I was good at it. We were all good at it, but nobody sat me down and trained me how to cope with returning to society after I had been in war," Patterson said.For more information about the documentary, visit www.reservedtofight.com.
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