Mathieu Grandjean

Photographer

BACKDRAFT

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Biography: Mathieu is a French freelance photographer, specializing in social documentary and portraiture and has been living in Los Angeles for the past 6 years. He is the executive producer of Open Show Los Angeles (openshow.org) and a contributor of... MORE

After serving in the Army for n...f Iraq veterans Against the War

After serving in the Army for nearly nine years, Camillo was the first-known Iraq veteran to refuse to fight, citing moral concerns about the war and occupation. He is a member of Iraq veterans Against the War

Iraq Veterans Against the War (...ous pressures to remain silent.

Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) was founded by Iraq War veterans in July 2004 at the annual convention of Veterans for Peace (VFP) in Boston to give a voice to the large number of active duty service people and veterans who areagainst the war, but are under various pressures to remain silent.

Veterans For Peace is a nationa...e aftermath of the Vietnam War.

Veterans For Peace is a national organization dedicated to the abolition of war and to social justice. It was founded in 1985 mostly by Vietnam War veterans but also includes men and women veterans of all eras from World War II to the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The work of Veterans For Peace is to seek justice for those returning from war and for those who are victims of war. It is an acknowledged fact that over 500,000 returning military personnel have been wounded. This number includes cases of hearing damage, cases of traumatic brain injuries, amputations, and the all too often hidden wounds of war - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The Los Angeles Chapter of Veterans For Peace has been erecting Arlington West Memorial on Santa Monica beach, every Sunday since February 15th, 2004. Each white wooden cross is carefully positioned in the sand with uniformity appropriate to a memorial. The cross was chosen for its simplicity, not for its religious connotation. The memorial provides a place to honor, acknowledge and grieve for the more than 5,500 American soldiers killed in the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and to reflect upon the more than one million civilian deaths as a consequence of war and occupation in those countries. It also provides a place to reflect upon the current path of U.S. policies abroad and of its consequences domestically as well as shedding light upon the history of the United States. Furthermore, Arlington West Memorial is designed to provide a site that fosters dialogue and reflection on war. The veterans enlighten about the costs, consequences of war and militarism on the American society. They use their personal experience in the military and in combat zones to seek peaceful effective alternatives than war while still respecting the opinions from visitors, veterans and military families. Finally, they inform the public about the needs of returning veterans and their families with a deep respect of every individual, something that happened rarely in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.

Claude Anshin Thomas is an Amer...es to help them psychologicaly.

Claude Anshin Thomas is an American Zen Buddhist monk and Vietnam War veteran. He is the founder of the Zaltho foundation, a non profit organization dedicated to ending violence. Meditation retreats are organized with veterans from the Vietnam War and Iraq/Afghanistan War and their families to help them psychologicaly.

Jeremy, Iraq War Veteran. Since...he sees himself helping anyone.

Jeremy, Iraq War Veteran. Since his first veterans retreat, his life has changed dramatically. Currently he is working as a contractor for Washington State Dept. of Veterans Affairs for with the Veterans Conservation Corps. He works on engaging veterans in environmental restoration or Eco-therapy projects. In addition he helps veterans go back to school and find employment in whatever the green field is defined by. Most of his work is more helpful to him, more than he sees himself helping anyone.

With an estimated of 20,000, Lo...return to families and society.

With an estimated of 20,000, Los Angeles has the largest population of homeless military veterans in the nation: eleven percent of all this population nationwide. Many of them suffer from co-occurring disorders, including substance abuse, mental illness and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as chronic medical problems. New Directions is a non profit organization created by two former homeless Vietnam War veterans. Its mission is to empower homeless veterans and facilitate their successful return to families and society. New Directions is a non profit organization created by two former homeless Vietnam War veterans. Its mission is to empower homeless veterans and facilitate their successful return to families and society.

Carlos and Melida Arredondoâ€™s...and protest to the war in Iraq.

Carlos and Melida Arredondoâ€™s son was killed in Iraq on August 25, 2004. Since then, Carlos is traveling through the United States with a mobile casket in the back of his truck as a memorial and protest to the war in Iraq.

Veterans receive occupational t...t thing to appreciate for them.

Veterans receive occupational training in horticulture, landscaping and in small business operation. It helps them to develop new interest in life and to relearn how to work and to assume responsibility. Each patient is following by their own psychiatrist and Rosa Nielsen, therapist manager. Some veterans managed to heal their wounds and found a place in the community. Others, even if the healing process is done, still work at the garden. The acknowedgement of the end of the therapy is a very difficult thing to appreciate for them.

Coalition For Alternatives to M...ary placement into the program.

Coalition For Alternatives to Militarism in the Schoolsâ€™s (CAMS) mission is to inform and educate the public, especially students, parents and school personnel about the growing militarization in the U.S. schools. CAMS promotes non-enlistment military means for students to fund their college education. Sandra, head up of the CAMS Leafleting team, is face to face with a Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) cadet during a leafleting action in front of a high school. JROTC is a military program, taught by retired military instructors, that is established in middle and high schools. Students learn discipline, leadership and physical training. In addition, they march and learn military history and behavior. In most school districts JROTC has been designated as a physical education elective leading to involuntary placement into the program.

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Public Story

BACKDRAFT

Updated Feb 2011

Topics Documentary, social, USA, veterans, War

Backdraft critically explores the domestic consequences of America's military endeavors on veterans and their families through the work of individuals or organizations that provide for their needs. or that explore the intrusion of militarism in the U.S. society.

In military culture, psychological issues are often seen as a sign of weakness, which means many disabled veterans avoid proper care. Others struggle to receive benefits from an overwhelmed Veterans Administration. Only 34% of the twenty three million living military U.S. veterans are enrolled in the Veterans Healthcare Systems.

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