Citizen Soldier

A revealing insight into the experience of this undoubtedly brave group of men. What I found to be the most surprising insight was that of the level of experience and competency of these part time soldiers. No one can doubt their dedication or committment. However, to be put in these situations without the necessary skill sets is desperately worrying. I don't know if this is the norm on terms of standard and I absolutely mean no disrespect to them or their fallen comrades. The way they operate, the speed they do it, their drills & tactical awareness, their comms and cohesiveness are below a standard required to execute what is being asked of them...I enjoyed this documentary but my heart goes out to them.

Whether you are a bleeding liberal or a conservative, this documentary will provide more education about war, about troops serving overseas, about what happens after war, and the bond forged by our men and women who serve than any history book or newscast. This should be added to curriculum taught in schools so students and people in general see an unbiased version of what war is - not the politics, but the day-to-day events. I will watch any documentary I can find to get an unfiltered understanding of war so I better appreciate the freedoms I have because of the volunteers (full time and civilian troops). I gave this documentary 8 stars because I feel like some things might be missing (possible op sec), but I really enjoyed the honesty the film makers demonstrated.

It was a very intimate view into the guard in a war.

It is a scary land. I know IEDs were a major killing thorn to soldiers in Afghanistan.

One comment that stuck a nerve was about how the local villagers are self serving as you can't trust them.

Imagine this scenario flipped. Would you not be self serving, especially as a 14 year old.

In reality, we're over over there for self serving reasons, along with some aid, etc etc.

They are just trying to defend their close knit families. Who are prob under threat by the Taliban or insurgents to aid them in their mission.

We have never have an armored tank and soldiers meandering in our backyard at 3am demanding ID while living in the US. While I know it's necessary for safety, expects the other side to just continue to allow this to their homes is hard to imagine.

This docu drama is the genuine article. At times chaotic and farcical it shows what random engagements can be like and their effect on the troops. There is some real emotion here from soldiers woefully under appreciated for the dangerous work they do. Afghanistan as a war might lack the glamour, pull for your average joe, and some serious questions can and should be asked about being over there, but these guys are putting it out there and deserve as many plaudits as we can bestow upon them..

Citizen Soldier is set in post-9/11 and is about a group of Oklahoma men and women in the National Guard who get deployed to fight in the most menacing areas of Afghanistan. Go-pro helmet cameras were used incredibly in the making of this documentary because it gave a more personal look in to the soldier's tour of duty. This film included honest and genuine interviews from the National Guard members, which added a more inclusive and emotional element to the film. It stands out amongst all other military films because it is not simply a documentary about violent warfare or pro-war propaganda, but instead it shows the dramatic transformation of average civilians to National Guard soldiers fighting tirelessly in Afghanistan. It is focuses on the brotherhood and bond shared between these brave soldiers and defines what it truly means to have a fellow soldier's back while on the battlefield. The leadership and bravery that the armed troops of our country possess truly amazed me. I thought it was a heartfelt film.