14 Soldiers Photographed Before, During & After War

Filmmaker Lalange Snow attempted to show us the horrors of war through the series titled “We Are Not Dead.”

He interviewed 14 members of the 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland before they were sent to Afghanistan, three months afterward, and right after they returned home. This project aims at showing the way war destroys the mind and body of a person, how it changes people for good.

Many people deal with depression, alcoholism, and even commit suicide, unable to cope with the horrible consequences war has left on them.

Soldiers are never certain that they will return home, and they are not even sure that they will get another chance to see their families or be there for their dearest when they need them.

The sufferings and deaths they see on a daily basis add to their emotional crisis. The constant emotional struggle results in severe mental stress, and the undulating emotions soldiers have to cope with, result in great mental strain.

Their days are filled with mental insecurity due to the trauma they experience, they live in solitude, cravings to return home, and the violence and injuries, as well as the heavy distractions that surround them lead to distress.

Consequently, numerous soldiers suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, characterized by symptoms like nightmares; feelings of detachment, irritability, sleeplessness, and difficulties in concentrating.

The following photographs show the changes in the physical features of soldiers and write the horror on their faces. While you can notice nervousness and uncertainty in the soldiers in the first photos, the second ones show what it’s like to be a soldier in Afghanistan, after witnessing the situation there.

The last photos are confusing, as you can see regret, fear, and devastation in their eyes.

In his first interview, Chris MacGregor, 24, one of the interviewed soldiers, said that he expected to miss his family and dogs. He also said that he hopes not the experience the worst case scenario.

In his second interview, he admitted finding it hard to be away from home. He said that he was deeply touched by the deaths of all the soldiers and their families, and such news hurt him every single time.

After being sent home to a knee injury, he said that his body could no longer continue. He said that he has anger management issues, but he took walks with his dogs in order to release the tension.

The first thing he did after coming home, apart from kissing and cuddling his closest ones, was to go for a massive walk with the dogs, and he walked for miles and miles, not caring where he stepped.