Acting exercise- Iraq Vet
Sooo.
I've been wanting to do this for a long time.
I've done similar things like it, but have avoided this one for what I think are obvious reasons.
I went on a little "acting exercises" adventure the other night.
My objective was to go to a local bar on a Friday night, one I do not go to, start drinking, introduce myself to a few people..and pass myself off as a returning Iraq veteran.
I did some research , actually a lot of research before hand. I watched 5 new Iraq war documentrys, ones that were all about the soldiers. I found a certain unit, looked it up on line..read everything I could about the missions..and wrote myself a character history and profile.
Sgt. Robert Fuller.
Multiple tours, plenty of dead friends, and is on a mission to vist the homes and families of his brothers who have died.
I knew I had to have my story 100% squared away. I knew I would've easily run into some real vets..and if I wasn't on point..if my shit wasn't square..I could get into a really bad situation...like get crippled and probably go to jail.
I familiarized myself with some new terms, on the job Army soldier lingo and slang from the films. Walked around my house talking to myself and telling stories over and over..like practicing a monologue for a scene.
I took me two days to become Sgt. Fuller...then I realized I had no ID. No dog tags. No military ID. I would have to do it as myself. If I got carded by a bar tender..that would be it.
I needed a new hair cut as well. Went in my bathroom and pulled out the clippers, 10 mins later I was sporting a fresh "high and tight" with a sweet fade. I thought about how I would bring it up, what would the right way be ? Does a soldier hide it when he comes home? Does he feel proud about it? Would I be reluctant to reveal who I was and what I've been doing? What kind of person was Sgt Fuller going to be?
I was betting on the fact that eventually , when strangers meet, the question "so what do you do for a living?" is going to come up. That would be my que. I practiced three different styles of how I would do it. I would leave it up to the people I was with. I'd feel em out, see who they were and then cater the reply to them.
I made myself nuts with details. Weapons, brands of boots, what number of MRE did I like best..(13 the one with rice and chicken), the smell of burning tires and garbage in Tikrit, the sand in every crack of my body, the pool parties at the palace, dope and whores, IED's, the way blood pours out of an open wound, the mothers who threw rocks at us while we brought them UN foods, camel spider fights in the barracks, my CO's name, the current chain of military command, size of rounds for certain weapons, who many missions did I run, how many days was I in Iraq, ..everything I could.
I started to get dressed and get ready to go. I had to press my jeans, make the creases and collar on my dress shirt perfect. Perfect, fresh shave and a mirror like shine on my boots.
I went over my profile as I killed a few beers. Telling myself who I was, where I've been , what I did, how I did it..and got into character.
Tonight..the Sgt was going to go visit the mother of one of his dead buddies then hit the local bar down the street and drown his past, guilt, sorrow and nightmares in sob filled gulps of whiskey and beer.
My hands started to shake as I put my clothes on.
to be continued.
I've been wanting to do this for a long time.
I've done similar things like it, but have avoided this one for what I think are obvious reasons.
I went on a little "acting exercises" adventure the other night.
My objective was to go to a local bar on a Friday night, one I do not go to, start drinking, introduce myself to a few people..and pass myself off as a returning Iraq veteran.
I did some research , actually a lot of research before hand. I watched 5 new Iraq war documentrys, ones that were all about the soldiers. I found a certain unit, looked it up on line..read everything I could about the missions..and wrote myself a character history and profile.
Sgt. Robert Fuller.
Multiple tours, plenty of dead friends, and is on a mission to vist the homes and families of his brothers who have died.
I knew I had to have my story 100% squared away. I knew I would've easily run into some real vets..and if I wasn't on point..if my shit wasn't square..I could get into a really bad situation...like get crippled and probably go to jail.
I familiarized myself with some new terms, on the job Army soldier lingo and slang from the films. Walked around my house talking to myself and telling stories over and over..like practicing a monologue for a scene.
I took me two days to become Sgt. Fuller...then I realized I had no ID. No dog tags. No military ID. I would have to do it as myself. If I got carded by a bar tender..that would be it.
I needed a new hair cut as well. Went in my bathroom and pulled out the clippers, 10 mins later I was sporting a fresh "high and tight" with a sweet fade. I thought about how I would bring it up, what would the right way be ? Does a soldier hide it when he comes home? Does he feel proud about it? Would I be reluctant to reveal who I was and what I've been doing? What kind of person was Sgt Fuller going to be?
I was betting on the fact that eventually , when strangers meet, the question "so what do you do for a living?" is going to come up. That would be my que. I practiced three different styles of how I would do it. I would leave it up to the people I was with. I'd feel em out, see who they were and then cater the reply to them.
I made myself nuts with details. Weapons, brands of boots, what number of MRE did I like best..(13 the one with rice and chicken), the smell of burning tires and garbage in Tikrit, the sand in every crack of my body, the pool parties at the palace, dope and whores, IED's, the way blood pours out of an open wound, the mothers who threw rocks at us while we brought them UN foods, camel spider fights in the barracks, my CO's name, the current chain of military command, size of rounds for certain weapons, who many missions did I run, how many days was I in Iraq, ..everything I could.
I started to get dressed and get ready to go. I had to press my jeans, make the creases and collar on my dress shirt perfect. Perfect, fresh shave and a mirror like shine on my boots.
I went over my profile as I killed a few beers. Telling myself who I was, where I've been , what I did, how I did it..and got into character.
Tonight..the Sgt was going to go visit the mother of one of his dead buddies then hit the local bar down the street and drown his past, guilt, sorrow and nightmares in sob filled gulps of whiskey and beer.
My hands started to shake as I put my clothes on.
to be continued.