"Mile Marker", focuses on a two-tour veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq, Korey Rowe, along with his former Rakkasan Brothers on their long road to recovery from PTSD. The Rakkasans were the invading force for both Middle Eastern Theater Wars where Korey and his unit were the tip of the spear, twice. This film investigates new and controversial techniques and methods for treating PTSD but more than that, it is a look into the lives of veterans in America today. Travelling 8,000 miles across the United States and back, Korey departs from his home in California, to check in with his former battle buddies across America, who served with him 15 years ago in the 187th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Air Assault Division. Along the way, he interviews psychologists and specialists from the National Center for PTSD in White River Junction, Vermont for a balanced understanding of the underlying symptoms and associated triggers for those with PTSD. This is an authentic portrayal of veterans...
Plot Synopsis:
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Korey Rowe, originally from a small town in central New York, travels from his home in California, ready to embark on what he expects to be a three-week journey for 7,000 miles. When all was said and done, he documented a very personal, five-week journey, and 8,000 miles across the United States and back in search of information and answers on his road to recovery from PTSD.The catalyst for telling this story comes from the death of a former battle buddy, Jesse Snider. Jesse lost his struggle to PTSD in March of 2014, and his friends share the dramatic stories which lead to his ultimate demise. Jesse's story continues throughout this film.Meanwhile, we hear from Paula Schnurr, the executive director of the National Center for PTSD in White River Junction, Vermont, and Rachel Stewart, a former V.A. psychologist. Both discuss the signs, symptoms, and explanations of what Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is, and available treatments. They offer their interpretations of the dramatic stories being told by the veterans along the way.Narrative input by Robert Delaney, retired military officer, and Company Commander of Korey's unit, shot footage during operations in the initial invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan in 2003. The soldiers involved share their perspectives of those events; the good times and the bad.Woodrow Greenfeather from Oklahoma is a Native American, and represents an unknown faction of the United States military which is largely represented by Native Americans. He talks about the ceremonies behind the life of a Native American veteran in America today; their survival, and how being Native American affects them in this country that they have been fighting for since Day One.Chris Taylor, who is in psychological operations, attached to Third Group Special Forces, served in Afghanistan twice, comes home to be arrested for the sale of five narcotic drugs, and discloses how this has impacted his life.Jon Harwood and Forrest Rosenbach were court-martialed from the military, and served time in a military prison, after receiving a bad conduct discharge from the United States Military for the use of marijuana. They reveal how a bad conduct discharge has affected their daily lives, which will lead us to a better understanding and interpretation of the number 22, which is largely founded with members of the military who have received bad conduct discharges. The V.A. does not track or treat those individuals.Larry Keating is a Vietnam veteran who is now a current private practice transition counselor, and PTSD psychologist. Mr. Keating runs a private practice out of Long Island, NY and served as a "river rat" supplying ammunition in Vietnam. He still struggles with PTSD, and continues fighting the V.A. to receive compensation for that. His story will show us contrast from prior wars and his own experiences will teach us lessons from someone who has been there.Investigation into the legal, medical, and personal relationships between PTSD in veterans who served in recent engagements, and the positive and/or negative effects of cannabis are examined as we hear from soldier after soldier after soldier about their transition, and in some cases their stories as a medical refugee, moving to Colorado for legal and free access to medical cannabis. Korey meets up with a large group of veterans who have dramatically been able to change their lives for the better by removing the use of pharmaceuticals from their live and replacing them with cannabisDr. Sue Sisley is interviewed in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Sisley has the first and ONLY FDA approved study in which the government provides cannabis for the study of the treatment of PTSD in veterans of recent engagements.Along the way, Korey struggles with the complications of shooting the entire documentary himself, struggles with time, and the family issues waiting for him at home. As he navigates along his 8,000-mile journey spanning over five weeks on his own personal road to recovery, he tells the story from the first person perspective, while capturing the beauty and diversity of our nation.
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