When I Came Home

For some veterans, life after military service presents more of a challenge than life in a war zone. Filmmaker Dan Lohaus' When I Came Home profiles former service members who are now living on the streets. According to this documentary, it's estimated that half the nation's ex-military homeless served in Vietnam. The unidentified Los Angeles man who appears in the prologue here feels that the enemy has simply changed: “Instead of me against the Vietcong or the Vietnamese Army, it's like me against society.” Although a handful of other vets share their stories, most of the film revolves around Herold Noel, an Iraq War army reservist. Unemployed, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and currently “off his meds,” the Brooklyn-based Noel lives in his car, but still takes time to help care for his youngest son (two other sons are not seen). Lohaus documents Noel's encounters with advocacy groups such as Black Veterans for Social Justice, Operation Truth, and Stand Down, which in turn leads to media exposure (The New York Post, CNN, CBS, etc.). Along the way, Noel meets Congressman Brian Baird and Senator Hillary Clinton in Washington D.C., as well as Public Enemy's Chuck D during a visit to Air America (the latter gives him the last advice he wants to hear—”You gotta leave the city”). When I Came Home offers an intimate look at a shameful problem: as a self-proclaimed “hustler,” Noel may have issues extending beyond his service in Iraq, but he surely deserves more support after putting his life on the line for his country. A winner at the Tribeca Film Festival and an official selection at Silverdocs, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)