by Norm Johnson Send Me E-mail

Went to a screening the other night at the Palms Resort, and came away with a sense that we, YOU AND I, must do something about what is happening to our veterans. "Who Will Stand" is a documentary film dealing with returning veterans from current and past conflicts.

One of the most stirring moments, during the nearly two-hour film, was the showing of "Arlington West," located on the Santa Monica Beach, next to its famous pier. There's a sculpture of a fallen soldier, lying on the sand, with rows of white and red crosses leading towards the high tide water line. Each cross has the name of a soldier, marine, sailor or airman who was killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. The beach commission had to finally put a limit on the space allowed for the memoriam, thus the rows of red crosses (each Red Cross represents 10 men or women killed). The memorial is open to the public year-round, with new names added weekly in a very moving ceremony.

Local attorney, Gerald Gillock, the executive producer of the film, worked with local residents, Phil Valentine (producer / director) and Michael Bedik (director of photography) and their Red Line Production crew, which traveled throughout the country capturing rare interviews and footage. Production of the film began in May, 2007, and was completed (editing, etc.) and shown to a specially invited audience of veterans and guests last month.

The film attempts to tell the story, as best it can, in only two-hours, of what happens to the wounded soldiers when they return home with their injuries... be it physical or mental. The statistics are mind-boggling, in that as many as 18 soldiers a day commit suicide and most kill themselves after they're home. The veteran suicide rate is so high that more American solders kill themselves than die in combat.

"Think about this... 58,000 Americans died during the Vietnam War, but 120,000 suicide victims are associated with Vietnam," Gillock pointed out. "So, you know, it has to be higher for this war."

According to Military Medical Magazine, 46 1/2 percent of combat soldiers have thought of suicide and a little more than 1/3, of combat soldiers, have actually attempted to kill themselves. In July, 2007, the Veterans Administration opened a suicide hotline and within the first year more than 22,000 veterans had called for help.

The divorce rate among the various services has tripled since the beginning of the war, and substance abuse is four times the national average. And, this is just the tip of the iceberg! According to a recent statistic, more than 50 percent of returning combat veterans are alcoholics.

The Las Vegas film crew traveled all over the country to find soldiers who were in trouble and willing to tell their story. They interviewed soldiers, their families and doctors and discovered that mental problems (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD) has led to a myriad of other severe issues, like unemployment, homelessness, divorce, substance abuse, child and spousal abuse. According to Gillock, who became interested in the situation after working with several amputees, nearly 90 percent of returning combat solders deal with some degree of PTSD.

"Who Will Stand" addresses how the military and Veterans Administration is failing in their obligation to help battle problems facing the returning veteran - be it severe wounds or mental. The film shows how veteran organizations such as the Wounded Warrior Project (a number who were present at the filming), which provides aid for severely injured veterans; Canines for Combat Wounded (a local group), which provides specially trained dogs to injured vets; and The Soldiers Project, focused on providing free, confidential psychological treatment, are assisting as best they can.

The story of Henderson resident, Ron Portillo, 40, a member of the Nevada National Guard, is a great example of failure by our government to help those who return mentally and physically wounded. A veteran of, first the marines and last the army, Portillo was involved in an ambush while on patrol (March 30, 2007) outside of Fallujah, Iraq, looking for some downed marines, when his vehicle was struck by an IED. The Master Sergeant suffered traumatic brain injury, wounds to his legs and paralysis to his left foot. Ron was flown to Germany and finally to Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, where he was treated for months. Since his return to Las Vegas, he was medically discharged with a 50 percent disability income. Portillo had taken out, and paid premiums, on a special government insurance policy that would pay up to $100,000 for a traumatic injury. He has been denied those benefits three times.

"That's pretty much the policy when it comes to that particular insurance," Portillo said.

Discovering that dogs are a great help to civilians with handicaps, Portillo got the idea to train dogs to be of assistance to returning handicapped veterans, who perhaps needed a companion or a helper. In August, 2007, he founded the Canines for Combat Wounded Organization (www.caninesforcombatwounded.org) and began to train his first dog.

"I go hunting for a dog at the local pound and most of the time I find what I'm looking for," he explained. Ron looks for a dog with a certain personality and what he refers to as high drive (wants to be kept busy playing or likes to work). Thus far, he has trained and given away six such dogs to deserving veterans (of which one is shown in the movie).

What is disturbing about this story is that the organization depends solely on donations. Not one red penny is allotted by the United States Government or Veterans Administration for this worthwhile cause. The biggest donation received came from, Siegfried and Roy, who donated $2,500. Portillo estimates that it takes between three and six months to train a dog, at a cost of nearly $10,000.

Portillo had a thriving business in Henderson, before being called to active duty with the guard, and ending up in Iraq, which unfortunately, his wife was unable to keep open once he was gone. Since returning to his home in Las Vegas, Ron has been unable to keep up with house payments and is facing foreclosure. His son, Greg, passed away unexpectedly recently at the age of 18, and both Ron and his wife, Margaret, are attending counseling in an attempt to save their marriage.

Ron Portillo's story is just one of a thousand such stories that occur each day in America.

The film features all original music, including the title song written and performed by Clint Holmes (who wrote the song following the 9-11-2001 event in New York). Gillock hopes to have a final edited film completed for submission to the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, which takes place January 15-25, 2009. Valentine also hopes to have DVDs available soon for showing in high schools and colleges across the land.

If you feel like making a donation to Canines for Combat Wounded, please go to its Web site: www.caninesforcombatwounded.org.

A special showing of the film, "Who Will Stand," will be screened for public viewing on Thursday, Oct. 16th. at 6:00 p.m. in the Dream Vision Studios, 6705 S. Eastern Ave. Tickets are $15 for W.I.F (Women in Films) and $20 for non-members, with a portion of the proceeds going to Canines for Combat Wounded. For information or reservations go to www.whowillstand4us.com.

That's it for this week.

I'm outa here!

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