Resurface

This documentary tells us about Operation Surf a project that helps veterans to go on with their lives and find pleasure in it through surfing.

The movie is a pretty short documentary but it fits everything in very well. We get to hear about the experiences of the veterans and how it affected their lives. Then we see them on the beach surfing and improving their lives.

One can see how surfing can help here. It gives the physically injured veterans more confidence in their bodies by showing how capable it is of riding the waves. And it gives a psychological satisfaction of achievement, purpose and something to look forward to. Besides ocean is good for the mental well being as well.

It is a good movie that raises awareness and also makes one happy to see these men improving their well being and lives.

I do appreciate the look into the few combat veterans who have PTSD

That said at several points in the short film there is the assertion that combat veterans commit suicide at higher rates. Facts: 1) Same age, income, education level civilian non veteran population commits suicide at the SAME rate their equivalent demographic cohort demographic combat veterans 2) Combat veterans commit suicide at lower rates than veterans who have never seen in combat.

Counter intuitive? Maybe. But a dozen peer reviewed studies show this and non refute it.

Why? Because during times of more military recruitment a larger number of candidates who have extremely poor employment chances, or borderline extant mental illness are inducted.

Those people are usually detected and flagged, never serve in combat and encouraged to leave early while keeping a honorable discharge, but are still the "veteran" demographic. They constitute the entire elevation in rates.

Studies in the Uk have shown the same thing.

Also if you careful control for gender, education level, employment status, combat veterans commit less violent crime, less murder and less spousal abuse than identical demographic cohorts in the civilian population.

As a combat veteran myself, I strongly support attention to the fact that non combat veterans, typically persons with 12 months or less of service commit suicide and other forms of violence because of circumstances and conditions that preceded their enlistment.

But perpetuating stereotypes about combat veterans does a disservice to everyone. They do NOT harm themselves or others at rates higher than their same demographic non veteran population.

Emphasize why there shouldn't be war. I liked the film. But may something was missing....or it's just me.