What happens to a person who becomes a soldier, is trained to kill without remorse, goes to Iraq and kills others, and then comes back to "normal" life? This film is a piercing look at the effects on soldiers returning from the Iraq War. How does someone evolve from a person who could not shoot a squirrel, to someone who can kill and abuse others? We see rare footage that provides glimpses of a Marine Corps boot camp in California, and the systematic, desensitizing training used to disconnect soldiers from their humanity, and thus enable them to kill without hesitation.

After the Killing Ends introduces us to a variety of soldiers, some National Guard who thought they would just be weekend warriors, others who joined with a belief that the military is a noble profession. All talk about their observations of the conflict in Iraq, and their personal experiences with killing. They are very candid about the weird juxtapostion of combat and coming back home. We hear about their state of mind during combat versus their emotions and perceptions once out of harms way. Along with their wives, they discuss the invisible demons they and their families now live with. Some fare better than others, but all are changed forever. Most feel isolated, afraid, and surrounded by indifference. Their benefits are granted arbitrarily - or sometimes not at all. Despite all we have learned from past wars, soldiers are still expected to stoically rise above chronic illnesses, injuries, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and isolation. While they are embraced with bumper stickers and ribbons, few feel that their fellow Americans understand a war that is predicted to affect the next three to four generations.
For more information and to view SEVERAL CLIPS, visit the producer's website.

	After The Killing Ends Documentary (60 min.)
	What happens to a person who becomes a soldier, is trained to kill without remorse, goes to Iraq and kills others, and then comes back to "normal" life? This film is a piercing look at the effects on soldiers returning from the Iraq War. How does someone evolve from a person who could not shoot a squirrel, to someone who can kill and abuse others? We see rare footage that provides glimpses of a Marine Corps boot camp in California, and the systematic, desensitizing training used to disconnect soldiers from their humanity, and thus enable them to kill without hesitation. After the Killing Ends introduces us to a variety of soldiers, some National Guard who thought they would just be weekend warriors, others who joined with a belief that the military is a noble profession. All talk about their observations of the conflict in Iraq, and their personal experiences with killing. They are very candid about the weird juxtapostion of combat and coming back home. We hear about their state of mind during combat versus their emotions and perceptions once out of harms way. Along with their wives, they discuss the invisible demons they and their families now live with. Some fare better than others, but all are changed forever. Most feel isolated, afraid, and surrounded by indifference. Their benefits are granted arbitrarily - or sometimes not at all. Despite all we have learned from past wars, soldiers are still expected to stoically rise above chronic illnesses, injuries, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and isolation. While they are embraced with bumper stickers and ribbons, few feel that their fellow Americans understand a war that is predicted to affect the next three to four generations. For more information and to view SEVERAL CLIPS, visit the producer's website.