Chris Marvin, 35, a retired Army helicopter pilot who broke his legs, an arm and bones in his face in a crash in Afghanistan in 2004, says he often does not recognize the veterans he sees portrayed in movies and television shows. He has had enough of the “broken hero” story lines about the grunt who did incredible things but is now forever damaged.
“The truth is, 99 percent of us are neither heroic nor broken,” Mr. Marvin said. “We are people — people the public has invested in who have a lot of potential. And it’s time to get over the pity party.”
To help, he and a number of veterans groups have begun a drive to encourage veterans to volunteer in their communities, while Mr. Marvin and others go behind the scenes in the entertainment industry to push writers, television networks and Hollywood executives to present realistic characters that show the full scope of veterans’ experiences.
Part of the process, of course, is education. Mr. Marvin was in Washington last week with Michelle Obama and the actor Bradley Cooper to unveil a program that will give a veteran’s seal of approval, called “6 Certified,” to movies and television shows that portray veterans in a fair and accurate light.
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Parenthood (2012)
A older veteran tells a younger one about his experience returning from Vietnam.
Matt Lauria plays Ryan, a recently returned veteran who initially befriends Zeek, a Vietnam vet played by Craig T. Nelson, and though Ryan is struggling, he learns to adjust. Many of the questions he asks Zeek about postwar life struck a chord with veterans, and in the end, Mr. Marvin said, Ryan is portrayed as more than just a product of war. Over the course of the season, he develops into a full character, with motivations and desires beyond the battlefield — exactly what Mr. Marvin wants to see more of on the big and little screen.
