The Corporal's Diary: 38 Days in Iraq

Only 38 days after Jonathan Santos was deployed to Iraq in September 2004, the 22-year-old Bellingham, WA native and several buddies were killed by an IED (improvised explosive device). Going through his gear later, Jonathan's mother Doris found her son's diary and several videos he made chronicling his daily life in Iraq. Filmmakers Patricia Boiko and Laurel Spellman-Smith's documentary combines excerpts from Corporal Santos' diary with his video footage, detailing the hopes and fears of average American soldiers facing danger far from home. Not surprisingly, the tone adopted in both the diary and videos is typical of young men barely out of high school—easygoing, with a certain measure of joshing and macho posturing—although occasionally a grim note intrudes, such as when a fellow soldier commits suicide. Santos offers a tour of his barracks, talks about his mission, leisure time activities, and family, and discusses plans for the future—all very ordinary topics and concerns that make his premature death seem even more poignant. In addition, Doris recalls moments from her son's life, visits a soldier gravely injured on Jonathan's fatal mission, and attends rallies and memorial services that help ensure Jonathan and other soldiers are not forgotten. With all of the high-profile Iraq documentaries released—including No End in Sight and Standard Operating Procedure—it's sometimes easy to overlook the small personal stories that remind us of war's biggest cost. DVD extras include audio commentary, additional interviews, and a DVD-ROM-accessible classroom guide and supplemental teaching materials. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)