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Service to civilian: life after the Second Gulf War

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Service to civilian: life after the Second Gulf War

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Content SERVICE TO CIVILIAN:
LIFE AFTER THE SECOND GULF WAR
by
Accalia Rositani
A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ANNENBERG SCHOOL FOR COMMUNICATION
AND JOURNALISM
In Partial Fulllment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
(SPECIALIZED JOURNALISM)
August 2024
Copyright 2024 Accalia Rositani

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements…………………………………….…………………………………….…………………………………….….iii
Abstract……..…………………………………….…………………………………….…………………………………….……………iv
Chapter One:
Reection..…………………………………….…………………………………….…………………………………….………………..1
Chapter Two:
Documentary Script…………………………….…………………………………….…………….…………….…………………….4
Bibliography…………………………………….…………………………………….…………………………………….……………19
ii

Acknowledgements
This lm is dedicated to the brave individuals who served in Iraq and Afghanistan in Operation Enduring
Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, especially John Stefan and Adan Mendoza. Without their openness,
sincerity and patience, this project would not have been possible. May their stories serve as a reminder that
the sacrices of veterans are lifelong and require greater structural support to address and honor.
iii

Abstract
This lm explores the post-retirement circumstances of two Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans to examine how their service continues to play a role in their everyday
lives. Having participated in wars that were widely criticized at home and uniquely challenging overseas,
veterans of this generation have suered inated rates of mental health conditions, such as depression and
post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide. Yet, the foundation of such circumstances has also been forged by
the long-standing cultural norms of the U.S. military, which can breed isolation and toxic coping behaviors.
John Stefan, retired Master Gunnery Sergeant, and Adan Mendoza, retired Army Sta Sergeant, delve into such
topics as mental health, the importance of nding community after retirement and redening identity in this
piece. They also share about the habits that have helped in their transition and what it’s like to manage the
memories from service that they will always have. Further context of these soldiers’ experiences is provided by
Sara Kintzle, Ph.D., a research associate professor in the Military and Veterans Programs out of the USC
Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work.
iv

Chapter One: Reection
The purpose of my thesis is to explore the post-military lives of American veterans who served in Iraq
and Afghanistan in the early 2000s. With the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks reaching their 23rd anniversary in 2024,
this piece pays tribute to the nearly 2 million brave individuals who, at a time when the U.S. military was an
all-volunteer force, sacriced their time, safety and lives for their country in the ensuing Operation Enduring
Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).
1
The particular focus of this exploration is into the mental health of these veterans and how they are
coping after their time in the service. Various studies during and after the Second Persian Gulf War have shown
that diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression increased substantially in the active duty
population after we invaded Afghanistan in 2001.
2 Whereas rates of suicide had always been lower in the veteran
population than in the civilian population, OEF and OIF reversed this trend as well.
3
Through the stories of two brave individuals, retired Master Gunnery Sergeant John Stefan and retired
Army Sta Sergeant Adan Mendoza, my documentary revisits the front lines of these wars and the aftermath of
these challenging experiences at home.
I decided to present this project as a documentary for multiple reasons. Primarily, I wanted to humanize
a population that has not always been understood by the public and, in some cases, completely dismissed on
account of these wars’ lack of approval. Especially with the onslaught of various lms depicting these wars in the
last two decades, veterans of this period are often generalized and stereotyped; whether they are violent, distant,
abusive or simply addicted to war. While this may have been helpful in the way of spreading awareness of what
these individuals have dealt with and what some people have become after service, these depictions have lacked
nuance. People who have gone to war deserve the same expectations of complexity that we all do. The reality is,
everyone has dierent reasons for joining the military, and those soldiers deserve to characterize their service in
their own way. Therefore, there is no one ‘veteran typecast,’ and we should not force our assumptions onto
people.
I wanted to depict the faces and lives of these veterans to show that they are no dierent than anyone
else’s. Both Stefan and Mendoza have had rich lives after retiring, with families, passions, struggles and personal
victories. I wanted to let their personalities come through in a true to life form, complete with their humility,
grace, humor, vulnerability and sincerity. To me, using only text or only audio would have been limiting to their
truths, and so I chose to let the audience really see these two men.
When I began working on this documentary, I wanted to achieve a true and in-depth story. One that
spanned the beginning of these wars in the early 2000s and ended in the present day with how these veterans are
living now. Having done so much research on the progression of the wars and the studies into the mental health
of these veterans, I was overcome by all the questions I wanted answered. Not only did I want to know about
their experiences while in the service, but also how this service aected their families and their friendships, how it
3 Kang, Han K et al. “Suicide risk among 1.3 million veterans who were on active duty during the Iraq and Afghanistan
wars.” Annals of epidemiology vol. 25,2 (2015): 96-100. doi:10.1016/j.annepidem.2014.11.020
2 Seal, Karen H et al. “Trends and risk factors for mental health diagnoses among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans
using Department of Veterans Affairs health care, 2002-2008.” American journal of public health vol. 99,9 (2009):
1651-8. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2008.150284
1 “Report on the Impact of Deployment of Members of the Armed Forces on Their Dependent Children,” Department
of Defense, 2010: Chapter 3: “The Impact of Parental Deployments on Children”
1

changed their views of themselves, how it aected their professional endeavors afterwards, what they have
learned from the bureaucracy of being in the military and so on.
I also had aspirations to learn about the scientic side of these veterans' journeys. I wanted to have an
expert analysis of the dierent mental health conditions that are prevalent among this population, such as PTSD
and depression. Prior to lming, I had a list of questions about the progression of these conditions as one gets
older, as well as about the dierent kinds of treatment for such diagnoses.
What I actually achieved ended up much more succinct and narrow. While this kind of narrow and
deep approach is always preferable in journalism to the wide and shallow approach, I convinced myself that
documentary storytelling would require something dierent. I assumed that I needed to cover more topics and
feature more voices in order to get my point across. However, just as in written journalism, I found that less was
more.
I achieved a true exploration of these two characters that is true to their experiences. Through the piece,
we visit Stefan and Mendoza in their natural habitats and observe them in their regular routines. This occurs
while they narrate their lives in the service and beyond. I employed a great amount of pacing throughout the
documentary, so as to not overwhelm the audience and also to stay true to how these two men speak; when I
interviewed both of them, I followed the natural ebb and ow of the conversation and did not try to have them
say anything disingenuous. As a result, we do not get all our questions asked. We do not get to nd out the ins
and outs of their inner realities. However, we get a very eshed out sense of the complexities they do discuss,
such as the importance of community and support, the struggle of raising a family as a veteran, the lack of
direction after the military and the importance of vulnerability. Within the limits of a 22-minute piece, I am
satised with the reections we are able to hear.
Through the course of this project, I learned what worked and what did not work. Prior to a shoot, I
learned that preparation is key. This is in reference to the camera equipment and coordination with the subject,
but also the interview questions and one's own mindset. When I thoughtfully compiled my questions and
thought about what I wanted to capture before I arrived, I always got my best footage. When I didn’t, I suered
for it.
During a shoot, I learned that you have to exercise patience and understanding, but also assertiveness
and control. I learned that when you do not intervene and ask to pause or do something again, the scene will
control you and you will be left with your hands tied in the edit. At the same time, you cannot connive scenarios
to shoot. This is especially true when you are shooting someone in such an unmasked state as with one’s family.
This was the case with Stefan, who I shot numerous times at his home with his wife and children. While it may
have been awkward to ask them to do simple things like eat a meal while I lmed, this was one of the only
options I had. This scene is true to life, unlike some other activity that doesn’t represent their lifestyle. I knew if I
forced anything during these shoots, it would show through in the nal cut.
It is also true that we cannot force anything during interviews. Subjects must be allowed to take their
time to consider their response and also have the space to retry something if they want to. They cannot be
pressured to say something that isn’t true. In the same way that we cannot lead our witnesses in court, we cannot
lead our subjects on in documentaries.
2

Above all, I learned that nothing works without the trust of our sources. If we do not prove to them
that our intentions are pure and we come with respect, they could end up uncomfortable, unsure or even
doubtful of whether or not they want to participate. To achieve their honest responses on camera, this is all the
more true. They must feel seen and cared for and not that they will be turned into someone they are not. Had I
not built trust with my sources, I would not have had a documentary.
I hope that the end product of my documentary will comfort people who have a veteran in their lives
and move those who do not. By bringing to the screen Stefan, Mendoza and my expert, research associate
professor in the Military and Veterans Programs out of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work,
Sara Kintzle, Ph.D., I hope viewers will reconsider any assumptions they may have made about Iraq and
Afghanistan veterans and instead look at these people before them as ghters. The things that these two men saw
and lived through are not experiences one can simply forget or come out of unchanged. In this way, I want them
to be received as brave and worthy of our respect. At the same time, I hope to destigmatize the topic of service.
In order to treat veterans as people with the unique experience they have, they need to know that their service is
something that they can and should talk about. To deny them that ability is harmful for their mental health and
will only move us backwards in regards to helping veterans overcome their struggles and challenges. I sincerely
hope that this piece is one step in the right direction of treating this population with greater sensitivity and that
anyone who has been seeking answers – whether for themselves or someone in their life – can nd somewhere to
start with the message of this piece.
3

Chapter Two: Documentary Script
Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_qSyLys8F4
Prologue
John Stefan, Retired Master Gunnery Sergeant,
United States Marine Corps
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 01:07:01 - 01:07:08
Clip 0087, “John establishing shots” folder: 00:00 -
00:13
Reveal shot of John’s house in Murrieta
I was in Pechanga Casino, and I remember I was
supposed to be already ying to Indiana for work on
a Monday.
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 01:07:18 - 01:07:22, 01:07:23 -
01:07:27
Clip 0092, “John establishing shots” folder: 00:04 -
00:21
I was at the Three Card Poker table and I butt-dialed
her.
She called me back. I had like ve missed calls.
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 01:07:32 - 01:07:41
*Medium close pan to house 2, “John establishing
shots” folder: 00:03 - 00:10
Clip 0195, “Family photos” folder: 00:09 - 00:13
And so I did my thing I used to do all the time, I ran
out of the casino so she couldn’t hear anything and
I’m like, “Hey, what’s up babe?”
She’s like, “Hey, where you at?” I’m like, “I’m getting
in the Uber, I just landed in Indiana.”
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 01:07:43 - 01:07:47
Clip 0195, “Family photos” folder: 00:19 - 00:26
She’s like, “OK. Hey, do me a favor. Take a picture of
the inside of the Uber.”
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 01:07:49 - 01:07:51
Clip 0198, “Family photos” folder: 00:09 - 00:14
And I hung up on her.
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 01:07:54 - 01:07:58
Clip 0199, “Family photos” folder: 00:00 - 00:03
I went up to my room, and I literally laid on the bed
and I looked up at the fan and I said.
John Stefan on screen,
John interview 2, 01:07:58 - 01:08:02
Can that fan hold 250 pounds because I’m gonna
hang myself.
Prologue over Title card: Service to Civilian: Life After the
Second Gulf War
SECTION 1.1 – meet John
4

*Puppy on oor 2 to John awards 2, “John
narration sequences” folder: 00:05 -
Text on screen: John Stefan, Retired Master Gunnery
Sergeant, United States Marine Corps
So, like, in the Marine Corps it’s real big, like, to
collect coins and stu in your units. So, I’ve got all
these coins – a lot of marines will have a coin box or
something to display these in. I’ve just chose to
always keep ‘em in a - I’ll eventually get to it, just not,
not anytime soon.
VO John Stefan
John interview 1, 00:51:19 - 00:51:24
*Puppy on oor 2 to John awards 2, “John
narration sequences” folder: CONT.
VO John Stefan
John interview 1, 00:51:33 - 00:51:39
VO John Stefan
John interview 1, 00:51:59 - 00:52:03
My father was in the Air Force and I was born in
Berlin, Germany, in 1973.
Diegetic: A real good friend of mine…
So I spent a total of my rst nine years, about eight
and a half years in Berlin, Germany.
Diegetic: A silver dollar…
Being a military kid growing up in that, that lifestyle,
it was awesome…
John Stefan on screen,
John interview 1, 00:52:08 - 00:52:18
I was hoping to have that same childhood for my kids
when we went to Okinawa, Japan in 2010. However,
it didn't pan out like I thought it was going to.
*Puppy on oor 2 to John awards 2, “John
narration sequences” folder: 03:14:24 -
VO John Stefan
John interview 1, 00:52:50 - 00:52:56
The oldest one they can to give it to you, so 1901
that’s, that’s a pretty good one. And then this was my
- when I was on the joint sta, I raided the badge.
And then I got a defense meritory service medal. So,
if you saw that - when I said I was missing some
ribbons on that, that’s, that isn’t on there, there’s a
couple more that aren’t on there either. And then…
So, growing up I always knew I'd probably join the
military because I just knew I wasn't interested in
academics.
VO John Stefan
John interview 1, 00:52:50 - 00:52:58
Clip 0194, “Family photos” folder: 07:39:02 -
07:39:08
My brother joined the Marine Corps, I wanted to
join the Air Force because I wanted to follow in my
father's footsteps. And a funny story behind that
was…
5

VO John Stefan
John interview 1, 00:54:43 - 00:54:56
Clip 0139, “Family photos” folder: 06:56:03 -
06:56:07
Clip 0143, “Family photos” folder: 06:57:26 -
06:57:35
When I was 16 years old, my family and I went out
to dinner one night and my father said, “Hey, son,
you see those two guys right there?” And I'm like,
“Yeah, what are they?” He’s like, “Those are called
Marines. Don't ever be one of those…
John Stefan on screen,
John interview 1, 00:54:58 - 00:55:02
…They're jarheads and they're stupid as hell”, you
know.
VO John Stefan
John interview 1, 00:55:03 - 00:55:09
Clip 0137, “Family photos” folder: 06:53:47 -
06:53:53
So then about a year later, I was in the recruiting
station. I'm like, “I [state your name.] And I joined
the Marine Corps.
*Puppy on oor 2 to John awards 2, “John
narration sequences” folder: 03:15:28 -
…One award in specic was tied to my deployment in
Falougha. And it may be this one, let’s see. Yea, this
one right here.
VO John Stefan
*Puppy on oor 2 to John awards 2, 03:16:52 -
03:16:55
Clip 0171, “Awards” folder: 07:19:29 - 07:19:35
This was a Navy com[mendation], with a combat ‘V.’
VO John Stefan
*Puppy on oor 2 to John awards 2, 03:16:56 -
03:16:59
Clip 0174, “Awards” folder: 07:21:40 - 07:21:46
They were shooting rockets at us.
*Puppy on oor 2 to John awards 2, “John
narration sequences” folder: 03:17:03 - 03:17:17
And then, uh, initially after the rst couple volleys,
we all hit the deck, ‘cause we thought they were
adjusting on us. And then, that’s when we returned
re and we were able to essentially kill the insurgents
that were trying to kill us so, that was an awesome,
awesome experience.
*Puppy on oor 2 to John awards 2, “John
narration sequences” folder: 03:17:03 - 03:17:17
Clip 0196, “Family photos” folder: 07:41:18 -
07:41:23
You feel like you’re running at 150 miles an hour, and
then to do that for 27 years and transition and you’re
left holding the ball by yourself and nobody there in
support, it’s it’s dicult to deal with.
Begin award montage/interlude
Clip 0167, “Awards” folder: 07:16:30 - 07:16:39 MUSIC:
love-and-war-solo-piano-SBA-348563321.mp3 from
6

Storyblocks
Clip 0171, “Awards” folder: 07:20:24 - 07:20:28 ^
Clip 0176, “Awards” folder: 07:22:44 - 07:22:47 ^
Clip 0173, “Awards” folder: 07:21:22 - 07:21:26 ^
Clip 0189, “Awards” folder: 07:33:39 - 07:33:48 ^
Clip 0190, “Awards” folder: 07:35:39 - 07:35:58 ^
Clip 0188, “Awards” folder: 07:32:59 - 07:33:12 ^
Clip 0185, “Awards” folder: 07:30:21 - 07:30:25 ^
Clip 0185, “Awards” folder: 07:30:36 - 07:30:38 ^
Clip 0187, “Awards” folder: 07:31:42 - 07:31:45 ^
Clip 0187, “Awards” folder: 07:32:08 - 07:32:12 ^
VO John Stefan
*Puppy on oor 2 to John awards 2, 03:17:48 -
03:17:52
Clip 0184, “Family photos” folder: 07:30:02 -
07:30:09
*music quiets
That’s kinda how I got into the things I got into and
all that stu.
VO John Stefan
*Puppy on oor 2 to John awards 2, 03:17:52 -
03:18:03
Clip 0153, “Family photos” folder: 07:01:22 -
07:01:28
It’s not a great feeling to talk about, and it’s really not
something I like to talk to about around my wife and
my kid and even Alicia but…
Clip 0150, “Family photos” folder: 07:00:22 -
07:00:27
I don’t wanna burden them with my problems, ya
know?
*music fades out
End award montage/interlude
Clip 0154, “Family sequence” folder: 07:01:52 -
07:02:02
Diegetic: sounds of placing food on table.
John: “You know what they should have done?...”
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 01:07:54 - 01:07:58
Clip 0155, “Family sequence” folder: 07:02:12 -
07:02:18
Once the determination was to go in and take
Falougha, that’s when - when it changed for me.
7

Clip 0156, “Family sequence” folder: 07:03:55 -
07:03:59
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 03:37:46 - 03:37:52
I remember receiving the target list of the rst 500
targets and I’m like… Oh my god, this is real.
Clip 0156, “Family sequence” folder: 07:04:36 -
07:04:43
Diegetic:
John: “Is there a lot of people out today? Around
there”
Claudia: “It’s nice out.”
Claudia: “Next week?”
John: “April 30th.”
*diegetic sounds fade
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 03:38:41 - 03:38:47
Clip 0156, “Family sequence” folder: 07:04:36 -
07:04:43
John on camera
So, we did phenomenal.
I mean, we - we killed a lot of people.
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 03:38:47 - 03:38:54
Clip 0157, “Family sequence” folder: 07:05:04 -
07:05:12
And, again, it’s hard to think back now and think
that was a great thing.
But we were doing what we were supposed to be
doing…That’s one of the…
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 03:38:54 - 03:39:02
Clip 0157, “Family sequence” folder: 07:05:19 -
07:06:04
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 03:39:07 - 03:39:27
Heartaches I have is just - ya know, being able to go
out there and - and really, ya know, walk the ground
that we destroyed.
Seeing people with their heads o, cats eating
peoples’ hands and feets…
Walking up to a guy that was half - ya know, half his
body was gone and with a shoe inside of his ribcage.
That’s just not normal stu.
Diegetic:
Claudia: “That you have homework and things to do,
that probably wouldn’t be good. I tried to invite him
yesterday to the restaurant but she said that she
wasn’t ready, that if I can give her an hour…”
8

VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 03:39:55 - 03:40:29
Clip 0163, “Family sequence” folder: 07:12:05
-07:12:16
Clip 0140, “Family photos” folder: 06:56:10 -
06:56:18
Clip 0147, “Family photos” folder: 06:59:10 -
06:59:17
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 03:55:41 - 03:55:48
A lot of the things I got into afterwards, post-Marine
Corps, was because of the things that I experienced
while I was in. Particularly, you know, seeing dead
people, understanding that I was the reason why that
person is no longer on this earth, right? Which, at the
time, I was motivated about because I didn’t care -
because it was either you or me. But as I got older and
I had kids of my own and I got to see them grow up,
you know, I often wondered and thought about like
the people that we ended up killing, like they had
families, too.
So, when I got back, you know, Alicia was small…
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 03:55:41 - 03:55:48
Clip 0166, “Family photos” folder: 07:15:32 -
07:15:38, 07:15:44 - 07:15:47
Clip 0138, “Family photos” folder: 06:55:07 -
06:55:11
She didn’t know who I was anymore, ‘cause she was
so young when I left… She didn’t know who I was,
matter of fact, I remember getting o the bus, I’m
standing in formation, they released everybody, the
families start running to you, I ran and saw Alicia and
Claudia and as soon as I went to grab Alicia, she
literally looked at me like I don’t - I’m not going to
this dude. So, when I grabbed her she started crying.
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 04:01:47 - 04:01:55
Clip 0163, “Family sequence” folder: 07:13:53 -
07:14:07
Clip 0164, “Family sequence” folder: 07:14:58 -
07:15:07
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 04:02:28 - 04:02:58
And so, those are the struggles that I continue to
have, and it actually adds to my anxiety and my
depression because I feel like nobody's listening.
Diegetic:
John: “Well, they do the covers of the…”
Claudia: “Yeah, they’re using it as covers so that’s
ne.”
*diegetic fades
I was able to deal with it during my career because I,
again, I was with like-minded people who had same,
shared experiences, so I could talk to them about it or
just know that they’ve been through what I’ve been
through.
But those relationships don’t exist anymore, and they
haven’t for ve years.
9

VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 03:58:33 - 03:58:56
Clip 0164, “Family sequence” folder: 07:14:58 -
07:15:07
Clip 0146, “Family photos” folder: 06:58:46 -
06:58:52
I told my psychiatrist and my psychologist, I said, you
know, I don’t remember the last time that I woke up
and felt… like, normally, you walk outside, it’s sunny,
it’s sunny. But when I walk outside, it’s not, it’s so
weird. And I’ve never been able to get that back and I
don’t know…
How you get that back.
John on camera
John interview 2, 03:56:18 - 03:56:20
This is the life of a marine.
End Section 1.1
SECTION 1.2 – meet Sara
Tree from side to reveal, “Social work building
shots” folder: 08:20:18 - 08:20:24
VO Sara Kintzle
Sara interview (Clip 0136), 02:38:47 - 02:38:50
Community is so important for wellbeing for any
person.
Clip 0128, “Sara interview” folder: 02:31:32 -
02:31:36
VO Sara Kintzle
Sara interview (Clip 0136), 02:38:50 - 02:38:58
Text on screen: “Sara Kintzle, Ph.D. MSW, Military
and Veterans Programs (MVP), USC Suzanne
Dworak-Peck School of Social Work”
For any adult, think about how hard it is when you
make a big life change - how it is to make new friends
and to build a new community, it’s hard for anybody.
Clip 0127, “Sara interview” folder: 02:31:18 -
02:31:30
VO Sara Kintzle
Sara interview (Clip 0136), 02:39:22 - 02:39:26
When people can nd a new community, and I think
for veterans…
Sara on camera
Sara interview (Clip 0136), 02:39:26 - 02:39:38
Just knowing somebody who has gone through what
they’ve gone through and kinda share some of their
experience, that can be so incredibly helpful even if
it’s just a few people.
Gettyimages-2831278-594x594.jpg, “Photos”
folder (usable under Impact license)
VO Sara Kintzle
Sara interview (Clip 0136), 02:39:45 - 02:39:54
Gettyimages-52129956-594x594.jpg, “Photos”
When that community isn’t rebuilt, we’re starting to
see that it’s one of the biggest predictors of negative
outcomes, particularly suicide.
10

folder (usable under Impact license)
Clip 0129, “Sara interview” folder: 02:31:59 -
02:32:10
VO Sara Kintzle
Sara interview (Clip 0136), 02:39:22 - 02:40:32
In our most recent Southern California Veterans
Study, we found that, people who were experiencing
loneliness were almost six times more likely to be at
risk for suicide than those who weren't.
Clip 0130, “Book CUs” folder: 08:24:56 - 08:25:03
VO Sara Kintzle
Sara interview (Clip 0136), 02:39:22 - 02:40:32
So, that really shows really how important
connectedness and community can be, and how
important it is to realize that…
Sara on camera
Sara interview (Clip 0136), 02:39:22 - 02:40:32
Veterans have lost a community and that they have to
rebuild a new one.
End Section 1.2
SECTION 1.3 – VA visit
nice reveal shot of building, “VA visit” folder:
08:09:43 - 08:10:11
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 04:00:57 - 04:01:03
NAT sounds outside VA, Loma Linda.
So, now I’m at the point where I’m getting the
magnets on my brain.
I gotta do it three times a week for six weeks, gotta do
30 sessions or whatever.
And I gotta drive all the way to Loma Linda to do it.
Text on screen: “Repetitive transcranial magnetic
stimulation, or RTMS, is a process in which magnetic
pulses stimulate the brain tissue to help regulate
cortical activity.”
“Studies of this treatment have shown its benets for
various psychiatric and neurological conditions,
including depression and post-traumatic stress
disorder.”
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 04:01:08 - 04:01:14
John walking toward hospital, “VA visit” folder:
08:06:20 - 08:06:35
And I told them like, I’ll do this because this is all
you’re letting me do, man, and I don’t care I want to
get help.
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 04:01:08 - 04:01:14
And I keep telling them, like, you guys need to
understand, when I come in here, I’m already 100%
11

Clip 0200, “VA visit” folder: 07:45:21 - 07:45:30
permanent total, I’m not looking for any other thing.
I just want to get help.
I just want to get better.
Clip 0200, “VA visit” folder: 07:45:21 - 07:45:30
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 04:01:32 - 04:01:46
Clip 0208, “VA visit” folder: 07:49:51 - 07:49:60
Clip 0223, “VA visit” folder: 07:58:21 - 07:48:28
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 04:01:56 - 04:02:07
And I tell them, I’m like dude I’m a retired master
guns E-9, if I’m having the diculty getting the help
I need, I can just imagine the Vietnam veteran who’s
homeless or the private that doesn’t know anything.
Like, why are you doing this to us, man?
And a lot of the things I do are obviously for me to
get better. But the second and third order eect of
that is I get to have a better relationship with my
family. Because right now I don’t feel like I do.
Fade to black
End Section 1.3
SECTION 1.4 – meet Adan
*Race footage 2, “Race footage” folder: 02:04:00 -
02:04:10
NAT sounds of bikes racing by.
*Bike side CU + Adan reveal, “Adan establishing
shots” folder: 01:32:55 - 01:33:05
VO Adan Mendoza
Adan interview 1, 02:20:33 - 02:20:50
Text on screen: “Adan Mendoza, Retired Sta
Sergeant, United States Army”
I was born in Salem, Oregon. And then I’ve lived
anywhere from Salem all the way out to Lincoln City
on the coast as I kind of grew up through my
childhood.
And then right after nishing high school I went into
the Army.
*Adan lling gas + ignition 2, “Adan racing
sequences: Gas” folder: 01:33:29 - 01:34:13
VO Adan Mendoza
Adan interview 1, 02:20:50 - 02:20:
When I was in high school I didn’t really have a lot of
direction as far as what I wanted to do, and so I had a
train of thought at that age that if I joined the
military I would get some direction either one of two
ways: one I would enjoy the military and I would
have that as a career, or that I would really not like it
and …
Adan on camera I would have some direction to go somewhere else.
12

*Adan lling gas + ignition 2, “Adan racing
sequences: Gas” folder: 01:33:29 - 01:34:13
VO Adan Mendoza
Adan interview 1, 02:22:48 - 02:22:55
The time that I was in the military was from 1999
through 2011.
*Adan lling gas, CU screwing cap 4, “Adan
racing sequences: Gas” folder: 01:34:34 - 01:34:42
VO Adan Mendoza
Adan interview 1, 02:22:55 - 02:23:12
Adan on camera
During that time was the Global War on Terror, and
so I participated in the invasion into Iraq in 2003,
and then went back to Iraq and Afghanistan in 2008
and 2009. And then got out of the military directly
after that for the most part.
*Adan checking air pressure - explaining 1,
“Adan racing sequences: Air pressure” folder:
01:35:26 - 01:35:50
VO Adan Mendoza
Adan interview 2, 02:23:52 - 02:24:16
Diegetic: “Check the air pressure… the gauge gives me
the PSI here, I’m looking for a specic range for front
and rear tire. If it’s too much air, I can release the air
just with the press of that button. And then if I’m
below the PSI I want…”
*diegetic fades out
When I got back from my last deployment my
thought processes were, you’ve done that for a fair
amount of my life to that point and was ready to look
for other career opportunities.
Adan checking air pressure low angle 2, “Adan
racing sequences: Air pressure” folder: 01:35:26 -
01:35:50
VO Adan Mendoza
Adan interview 2, 02:23:52 - 02:24:16
While I was on one of my deployments, I was looking
into civilian careers and things that I thought that I
might enjoy and becoming an electrician was…
Something that had interested me before I went into
the military, and so it was a pretty easy transition.
That’s what I do now, is I have an electrical company
in Portland. And here before too long in April, we’ll
be open for three years.
End Section 1.4
SECTION 2.1 – back to Sara
Reveal shot, “Social work building shots” folder:
08:14:57 - 08:15:16
VO Sara Kintzle
Sara interview (Clip 0137), 02:51:13 - 02:51:26
The Iraq and Afghanistan veterans served during a
very unique time in history.
A time where people were being deployed at
incredible rates.
13

Tree detail, “Social work building shots” folder:
08:17:55 - 08:18:05
VO Sara Kintzle
Sara interview (Clip 0137), 02:51:27 - 02:51:46
Building straight on, “Social work building shots”
folder: 08:18:02 - 08:18:09
Where people were experiencing very high numbers
of deployments, and where, kind of for the rst time
you saw the military kind of work to keep people in
the military who were experiencing mental health
diculties. And try to work on that within the
military system.
CU of sign, “Social work building shots” folder:
08:19:06 - 08:19:12
VO Sara Kintzle
Sara interview (Clip 0137), 02:51:46 - 02:52:14
Sun spot, “Social work building shots” folder:
08:19:41 - 08:19:58
But that took a lot of time to build, and it took a lot
of knowledge. And so you had a pretty big group of
veterans who were just experiencing a lot of
occupational stress, very high, high demand with low
levels of organizational support.
Sara on camera
Sara interview (Clip 0137), 02:51:46 - 02:52:14
In the time it took to try to build in that
organizational support, there was just a lot of
suering that happened.
Clip 0131, “Sara interview” folder: 02:32:24 -
02:32:37
VO Sara Kintzle
Sara interview (Clip 0137), 02:53:21 - 02:53:38
Clip 0125, “Sara interview” folder: 02:30:44 -
02:30:54
NAT sounds of Sara in oce typing.
We did see, you know, signicant experiences of
mental health issues, substance health issues.
It was shortly after the invasion of Iraq that you start
to see suicide rates within the military – which had
always been lower than civilian population – start to
match the civilian population.
Clip 0134, “Sara interview” folder: 02:33:22 -
02:33:33
VO Sara Kintzle
Sara interview (Clip 0137), 02:53:21 - 02:53:38,
02:54:20 - 02:54:56
Gettyimages-96188077-594x594.jpg, “Photos”
folder (usable under Impact license)
You also saw that then bleed into the veteran
population as well, those really high suicide rates, so
you really are just seeing the very signicant impacts
of very high stress, high tempo environments that
include, for a lot of people…
Sara on camera
Sara interview (Clip 0137), 02:53:21 - 02:53:38,
02:54:20 - 02:54:56
Signicant exposure to traumas.
End section 2.1
14

SECTION 2.2 – back to Dozer
High ground pan of pits 1, “Adan establishing
shots” folder: 02:18:37 - 02:18:48
VO Adan Mendoza
Adan interview 2, 02:26:45 - 02:26:59
I bought my rst motorcycle in 2004, right after one
of my deployments, and it was a streetbike.
*Adan getting dressed MS 1, “Adan racing
sequences: Getting dressed” folder: 01:41:46 -
01:42:02
VO Adan Mendoza
Adan interview 2, 02:26:45 - 02:26:59
I rode it on the streets, you know, just with it, the
license plate and insurance and things of that nature
and really enjoyed that sport.
And then as any, you know, guy would do, you start
pushing the limit a little bit and start kind of seeing
what the capabilities of the motorcycle are.
*Adan getting dressed zip CU + getting gear on
MS 2, “Adan racing sequences: Getting dressed”
folder: 01:42:10 - 01:42:31
VO Adan Mendoza
Adan interview 2, 02:27:06 - 02:27:15, 02:28:26 -
So then that started o with track as being a bit of an
addiction.
And then, of course, that natural progression of
riding on the track is then just to start looking at
racing.
*Adan getting dressed calf zips + shoes CU - MS
3, “Adan racing sequences: Getting dressed” folder:
01:42:36 - 01:43:16
VO Adan Mendoza
Adan interview 2, 02:27:06 - 02:27:15, 02:28:26 -
02:28:50
And so I got my novice race license in 2006 and then
I graduated from novice to expert that next year. And
then I've been racing at the expert level since then.
*Adan getting dressed calf zips + shoes CU - MS
3, “Adan racing sequences: Getting dressed” folder:
01:42:36 - 01:43:16
NAT sounds of Dozer exiting trailer.
*Adan getting dressed, putting on arms + exit
frame 4, “Adan racing sequences: Getting dressed”
folder: 01:43:16 - 01:44:13
VO Adan Mendoza
Adan interview 2, 02:32:21 - 02:32:46
The reason why I do this sport is because in my
normal career and my normal life, I'm always
distracted by a lot of dierent things.
Employees asking questions, customers, vendors,
things of that nature always connected to email, text,
phone and stu like that at all.
That this is a place where once I put my helmet on…
Adan on camera
Adan interview 2, 02:32:21 - 02:32:48
All that goes away.
15

*Adan getting dressed, putting on arms + exit
frame 4, “Adan racing sequences: Getting dressed”
folder: 01:43:34 - 01:43:13
NAT sounds of Adan getting ready.
Adan arm CU, “Adan racing sequences: Getting
dressed” folder: 01:44:30 - 01:44:35
VO Adan Mendoza
Adan interview 2, 02:33:06 - 02:33:12
I think it’s pretty stimulating. And it also kinda a
good refresh and reset for me, mentally.
*Adan getting dressed, putting on arms + exit
frame 4, , “Adan racing sequences: Getting dressed”
folder: 01:43:34 - 01:43:13
To just focus on one thing and then really rene the
little pieces that are the intricacies of the sport.
*Adan getting ready to race side shot + exit
frame 4, “Adan racing sequences: Getting ready to
race: Day 1” folder: 01:46:08 - 01:46:13
VO Adan Mendoza
Adan interview 2, 02:34:22 - 02:34:28
I think there’s a lot of people that come out of the
military that do this sport. The paddock is lled with
quite a few veterans.
*Adan putting in earplugs + helmet + gloves +
turning on bike + taking o tire warmers +
taking o, “Adan racing sequences: Getting ready to
race: Day 1” folder: 01:46:41 - 01:48:43
VO Adan Mendoza
Adan interview 2, 02:34:43 - 02:35:21
There’s a bit of camaraderie that’s here that you nd
that’s very similar to the military. And of course
there’s the aspect of potential danger and having
some of the things that might have had a bit of a
parallel to someone’s military career that can be
making the transition into civilian life a little easier.
To not have that kind of…
Adan on camera
Adan interview 2, 02:34:43 - 02:35:21
Dullness that would go from doing something in the
military that was exciting or exhilarating or even
frustrating to be completely honest with you to go to
like sit in a cubicle and have that be a much bigger
change of pace.
*Adan putting in earplugs + helmet + gloves +
turning on bike + taking o tire warmers +
taking o, “Adan racing sequences: Getting ready to
race: Day 1” folder: 01:46:41 - 01:48:43
NAT sounds: taking o on bike.
High ground pan of race track scenery 1, “Adan
racing sequences: Race footage” folder: 02:18:53 -
02:19:07
*Adan race takeo medium close, “Adan racing
sequences: Race footage” folder: 02:54:51 - 02:55:14
VO Adan Mendoza
When you come out of the military, almost instantly
there can be adverse eects of that.
Somebody could be lonely – they could not have,
you know, the same level of exhilaration of playing
like a team sport or being in the military on a team.
16

Adan interview 2, 02:37:08 - 02:37:12 This environment here has always been very
inclusive.
*Adan race takeo medium close, “Adan racing
sequences: Race footage” folder: 02:54:51 - 02:55:14
NAT sounds of bikes revving.
VIRB0007.MP4, “Adan racing sequences: Go Pro
footage” folder: 00:00:27 - 00:02:10
NAT sounds of racing.
MUSIC:
looking-for-god-brooding-indie-folk-instrumental-SB
A-300514668.mp3 from Storyblocks
Fade to black *music fades out
End section 2.2
BEGIN conclusion
Clip 0248, “Social work building” folder: 08:11:41 -
08:11:52
Clip 0126, “Sara interview” folder: 02:30:59 -
02:31:00
VO Sara Kintzle/Sara on camera
Sara interview (Clip 0137), 03:05:32 - 03:05:53
I think one of the best things you can do is talk to
veterans about their experience.
I always say don’t thank them for their service, ask
them about their service. Most people are really
happy to talk about it and they don’t get asked, and
you’ll actually nd that they really appreciate being
asked.
Clip 0157, “Family sequence” folder: 07:05:55 -
07:06:00
Clip 0245, “VA visit” folder: 08:10:51 - 08:10:55
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 04:14:31 - 04:14:59
We’ve experienced something that a lot of people
haven’t. The Vietnam War, those veterans, absolutely.
Korean War, World War I, yea. But …
Clip 0181, “Awards” folder: 07:26:10 - 07:26:14
VO John Stefan
John interview 2, 04:14:31 - 04:14:59
OIF, OEF, that’s the next signicant war in history,
and in 20 years there’ll probably be something else
and we’ll have to deal with that then.
Inside of trailer establishing/CA 1, “Adan
establishing shots” folder: 01:56:17-02:10:00
Inside of trailer detail shot 1, “Adan establishing
shots” folder: 01:56:44 - 01:56:45
Gas tank CU + trailer pan 3, “Adan establishing
There’s a specic core group of people that I spent
time with in the military. And that group had
probably a bigger impact on me than a lot of the
other dierent groups or team that I was a part of.
And we went separate ways, like initially. And then
real recently have really come back together.
17

shots” folder: 01:56:50 - 01:56:55
CU Adan drinking water + working on phone 3,
“Adan establishing shots” folder: 02:02:06 - 02:02:15
VO Adan Mendoza/Adan on camera
Adan interview 1, 02:40:10 - 02:40:44
It’s been very motivating and also gratifying is
probably a good way to describe it, to see the dierent
successes people have had that are a part of that
group.
Sun spot to reveal, “Social work building” folder:
08:21:03 - 08:21:15
*CU of game board 1, “John family sequences”
folder: 03:02:47 - 03:02:52
Clip 0164, “Family sequence” folder: 07:14:58 -
07:15:07
VO John Stefan/John on camera
John interview 2, 04:14:59 - 04:15:21
We need to nd other ways to allow veterans who
have experienced, ya know, stu like that more
positive means – there’s so many things out there.
The thing is is that gambling is on the low end of the
totem pole cause a lot of people don’t even see that as
an addiction.
I don’t want people to use this as a coping
mechanism.
*music builds
Fade to black
Text on screen: “Special thanks to the Stefan
family and Adan Mendoza, now and always.”
Fade to black *music fades
Total run time: 00:22:24:15
18

Bibliography
“Report on the Impact of Deployment of Members of the Armed Forces on Their Dependent Children,”
Department of Defense, 2010: Chapter 3: “The Impact of Parental Deployments on Children”
Seal, Karen H et al. “Trends and risk factors for mental health diagnoses among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans
using Department of Veterans Aairs health care, 2002-2008.” American journal of public health vol.
99,9 (2009): 1651-8. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2008.150284
Kang, Han K et al. “Suicide risk among 1.3 million veterans who were on active duty during the Iraq and
Afghanistan wars.” Annals of epidemiology vol. 25,2 (2015): 96-100.
doi:10.1016/j.annepidem.2014.11.020
19

Abstract (if available)

Abstract This film explores the post-retirement circumstances of two Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans to examine how their service continues to play a role in their everyday lives. Having participated in wars that were widely criticized at home and uniquely challenging overseas, veterans of this generation have suffered inflated rates of mental health conditions, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide. Yet, the foundation of such circumstances has also been forged by the long-standing cultural norms of the U.S. military, which can breed isolation and toxic coping behaviors.

John Stefan, retired Master Gunnery Sergeant, and Adan Mendoza, retired Army Staff Sergeant, delve into such topics as mental health, the importance of finding community after retirement and redefining identity in this piece. They also share about the habits that have helped in their transition and what it’s like to manage the memories from service that they will always have. Further context of these soldiers’ experiences is provided by Sara Kintzle, Ph.D., a research associate professor in the Military and Veterans Programs out of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Rositani, Accalia (author)

Core Title Service to civilian: life after the Second Gulf War

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Journalism (Specialized Journalism)

Degree Conferral Date 2024-08

Publication Date 08/09/2024

Defense Date 08/08/2024

Publisher Los Angeles, California (original), University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag 911,cognitive behavior therapy,community healing,Depression,Iraq veterans,Iraq War,Isolation,mental health,mental health awareness,Military,military families,OAI-PMH Harvest,Operation Enduring Freedom,Operation Iraqi Freedom,Second Gulf War,Suicide,Veterans

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Tolan, Sandy (committee chair), Kintzle, Sara (committee member), Mittelstaedt, Alan (committee member)

Creator Email cali.rositani@gmail.com,rositani@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC113998TDT

Unique identifier UC113998TDT

Identifier etd-RositaniAc-13365.pdf (filename)

Legacy Identifier etd-RositaniAc-13365

Document Type Thesis

Format theses (aat)

Rights Rositani, Accalia

Internet Media Type application/pdf

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