A new move about wounded soldiers

Friends,

Filmmaker Terry Sanders, whose works include "Return with Honor" and "Maya Lin" has just released his film "Fighting for Life". He and his crew flew over to Balad and filmed the medics in action taking care of injured troops.

His movie also details life in the Uniformed Services University medical school in Bethesda. I didn't have the privilege of attending, but I get to teach their visiting medical students and I work with their graduates every day. I can't wait to see the film when it has a broader release in the fall.

There are more details at:

http://www.fightingforlifethemovie.com/index.html

Take care!

Chris

Fighting for Life movie poster

Fighting for Life movie poster, originally uploaded by ccoppola@pol.net.

a film by Terry Sanders

An Amazing Vietnam Era Surgeon

Hello Friends,





Today we recieved our electronic copy of the Brown Alumni Magazine with a great article by Cathy Shufro. She interviewed me about my time in Balad, and also writes about Dr. Agustus White, an impressive and accomplished orthopedic surgeon. During the Vietnam war, he served as an Army surgeon caring for injured troops. He found time on weekends to volunteer at a Vietnamese leper hospital and improved the lives of many . You can find Ms. Shufro's article here. I think that she very well captures my thoughts and experiences from the war. Below is a portrait that Austin photographer Matthew Mahon took for the article.

(Source: Brown Alumni Magazine, photographer: Matthew Mahon)

I've kind of got the big eyes, but it certainly is a accurate representation of me! He has a fascinating website here.

I'm starting preparations to head back to the war. It's really depressing to consider being apart from M. and the boys again. However, I console myself with several facts. My time over there is so much shorter than many other troops'. Although the scenes in our wartime hospital are grisly and tragic, I'm still doing the same job: surgeon stateside, surgeon deployed. And as long as our brave young men and women are over there getting shot and blown up, it is our duty as military surgeons to go over there and try to get them home alive. Yesterday I had breakfast with a soldier who told me that he and his troops are able to do their job with confidence because they believe that as long as they are not killed on the spot, our military medical system will keep them alive. I've heard that same statement many times before and it is a very humbling and responsibility-laden compliment.

I am hopeful in my belief that the will of the American people is finally being heard and Congress is going to get us all home. I just wish they would hurry up. I speak from my conscience when I say supoort our troops, bring them home.

Be well,

Chris