Retired Col. Eric Terashima rates scenes portraying the Afghanistan War in movies. During his 30 years of service, Terashima had 12 deployments, including eight combat tours, three of which were in Afghanistan.
He discusses films that were based on real battles, like "Lone Survivor" (2013), starring Eric Bana, Taylor Kitsch, and Mark Wahlberg; "12 Strong" (2018), starring Chris Hemsworth, Michael Peña, and Michael Shannon; and "The Outpost" (2020), starring Scott Eastwood and Orlando Bloom. He talks about the vital role of interpreters during the war, as portrayed in "The Covenant" (2023), starring Jake Gyllenhaal. He shares the best tactics to use in shoot-outs in urban settings, shown in "Dear John" (2010), starring Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried. He describes the prevalence of improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan, as seen in "A War" (2015). He breaks down the roadside ambushes in "Iron Man" (2008), starring Robert Downey Jr.; and "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" (2016), starring Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, and Billy Bob Thornton. Finally, he relates his personal experience when watching how an Afghanistan War veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder is portrayed in HBO's "Barry" (2018-2023), starring Bill Hader and Henry Winkler.
Veterans who have been affected by PTSD can contact the PTSD Foundation of America at ptsdusa.org or the Wounded Warrior Project at woundedwarriorproject.org.
