Perhaps the most heartbreaking aspect of an extended, bloody and uncertain conflict like the current Iraq war is that for those documenting its impact, both great and small, there will never be a shortage of stories to tell. War affects different people in different ways; some veterans internalize their pain and never share it, while other veterans are an open, seeping wound, unable to find closure no matter how hard they seek it. It's probably the most overlooked aspect of warfare – the psychological fall-out – but one of the most devastating; a silent sickness afflicting an increasingly significant portion of the military population.

The above quote from James Hillman, following a sobering sequence of photos depicting wartime carnage, opens director Patricia Foulkrod's shattering documentary, The Ground Truth, a film in which often startlingly young National Guard, Army, Marine veterans recount their experiences in the armed forces – perhaps not unsurprisingly, scant few have anything positive to say about their time in the ranks. Foulkrod also obtains some eye-opening footage of basic training, outlining the systematic mental degradation of fresh recruits (the ritualization of violence, the application of video game techniques to battlefield scenarios, the emotional brutalization) and eventual placement in the chaotic carnage of either Iraq or Afghanistan, with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) likely awaiting many of the combatants. There's a cold, machine-like efficiency to the system and, unfortunately, it's hard to argue with the results: the United States turns out thousands of bloodthirsty warriors, primed for combat, and ships them off to dozens of foreign lands, unleashing havoc at a moment's notice. Perhaps even more shockingly, when these men and women return home, they are confronted with a system that is either ill-equipped or disinterested in caring for soldiers swept up in the vicious aftermath.

The phrase "a new war" is uttered more than a few times in The Ground Truth and it's clear that our country, while motivated by pure, white-hot rage, is unsure of how to proceed in fighting this new, ceaseless and faceless enemy – the terrifying transition from untested soldier to trigger-happy sociopath is unnervingly rapid – and since there is such hesitance, the armed forces are retaliating more out of fear than certainty. Some scenes in Foulkrod's film will catch your breath in your throat; the filmmaker doesn't pull any punches, relying on graphic footage the likes of which you won't see on your evening news – it gives a visceral sense of place. Perhaps even more unsettling is, not only the blunt imagery, but the dispassionate way these veterans discuss warfare and killing human beings; these men and women have pulled a trigger, ended a life and the deadness in their eyes underscores the toll this war has taken on its soldiers. Even more upsetting is the way these Iraq and Afghani veterans discuss the awkward reintegration into society, with families caring for wounded loved ones, relationships strained by sudden emotional violence and soldiers injured in the war who must wrestle with amputations and scars.

The Ground Truth is mostly non-partisan (of course, the official military response isn't represented, which is a bit of a drawback), striving to present a portrait of emotional (as well occasional physical) damage inflicted, unseen, upon untold thousands of servicemen and women. Another late stumbling block is that Foulkrod tries to draw a fleeting parallel between the ravages of Hurricane Katrina and the situation on the ground in Iraq; it momentarily dilutes Foulkrod's thesis. All told, Foulkrod's film is certainly an uncomfortable one, a brutal, poignant reminder that those scores of U.S. soldiers fighting on our behalf are suffering, bearing wounds that will echo, like silent death, through future generations.

The Video:

The Ground Truth, a blend of newly filmed interviews and file footage, looks about as good as one would expect – the 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer is mostly clean and clear, although the handheld Iraq footage is often jagged and smeary. Otherwise, this is a fine visual representation.

A film driven primarily by dialogue, the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack doesn't get much of a workout, save for the occasional rap song or concussive explosion (of which there are several). Much like the visuals, the audio end of things is as clean and coherent as can be managed under the circumstances. Optional English, Spanish and French subtitles are included.

Regrettably, The Ground Truth doesn't feature much in the way of supplemental material; I'd assume that Foulkrod wants her film to speak for itself, but docs like these always benefit from some contextual bonus features, further fleshing out this sprawling, sensitive topic. A five minute, 30 second deleted scene is here as is an eight minute, 41 second extended scene – no trailers, no commentary and no further exploration of this expansive aspect of the Iraq war.

The Ground Truth is an uncomfortable film – a brutal, poignant reminder that those scores of U.S. soldiers fighting on our behalf are suffering, bearing wounds that will echo, like silent death, through future generations. These armies of one are being stranded on the bloody battlefields of Iraq, cast aside like so many spent bullet casings, used up by a government that doesn't seem to fathom the astronomical cost. Highly recommended.