--- title: "‘APACHE BLUES: Welcome home’: Vietnam War Vets tell their stories" description: "APACHE BLUES: Welcome Home is a documentary about some of the men from the 1st Squadron of the 9th Cavalry Regiment." date: "2023-06-30" modified: "2023-06-30" authors: - name: "Shannon Corbeil" job_title: "Contributor, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/scorbeil/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/entertainment/apache-blues-welcome-home-vietnam-war-vets-movie/" categories: - "Entertainment" - "Movies and TV" --- # ‘APACHE BLUES: Welcome home’: Vietnam War Vets tell their stories ![apache blues]() “I’ve had some very interesting debates with the Chaplain about how to justify the existence of God and war in the same universe,” shares a voice of a [Vietnam War]() veteran in the trailer for *APACHE BLUES: Welcome Home,* a documentary about some of the men from the 1st Squadron of the 9th Cavalry Regiment, the first Air Assault unit in history. In the 18-month, 22,000-mile journey to sit down with the men of Alpha Troop 1/9 and listen to their stories, two filmmakers discovered that, while [education about the Vietnam War is important](), processing the war remains vital for the service members who came home from it. Vietnam War veterans faced indifference and even hostility when they returned home from combat. The Vietnam War was unpopular in America, and the country took out its rage on the troops who fought in it — whether they volunteered or were drafted. They have spent the five decades since holding their stories and their memories inside. For many, this has wreaked havoc on their lives. For some of the men in *APACHE BLUES*, this film was the first time in 47 years they had ever talked about their experiences. The therapeutic effect that these talks had on their lives has been undeniable. **WATCH THE TRAILER:** https://youtu.be/l-dDw5AiA90 Dave Merlino and Dustin Sweet, the filmmakers who helmed *APACHE BLUES* in true indie-filmmaking fashion, arranged and conducted the interviews, provided the bulk of the funding themselves, and directed and edited the film to completion. “It is our hope that this film will encourage more and more veterans to be willing to talk about their experiences and more and more friends and family members will be willing to listen. It is never too late to talk and it is never too late to tell a veteran, ‘Welcome home,’” shared the Merlino and Sweet. In addition to their writing and directing work, the duo also hosts the [Know Their Story]() podcast, which seeks to amplify the voices of veterans by having guests who were deployed and honorably or medically discharged from their service on to share their experiences. By giving a voice to veterans, they are able to find healing and community while educating others about the cost of war. The film is set to make its world premiere at the [prestigious Dances With Films Festival]() on July 2, 2023, at the Mann Chinese Theater in Hollywood, CA. ## Author Shannon Corbeil has worked for We Are The Mighty as a digital video producer, writer, and host, as well as a staff writer covering military history, trivia, and valor. Shannon is a fierce veteran advocate, covering the achievements of members of the military community and volunteering in multiple veteran non-profit organizations, including Pin-Ups for Vets and Warriors for Peace Theatre. Her undergraduate degree is in Humanities and Philosophy and her Masters is in Strategic Intelligence. A screenwriter and actor recently seen on SEAL TEAM and THE ROOKIE, Shannon writes about exciting projects in the entertainment industry. She is an alum of the Writers Guild Foundation Veterans Writing Project, a Finalist in the Disney TV Writing Fellowship, an inaugural fellow for the STARZ/VME #TakeTheLead Program, and has performed at the Geffen Playhouse and Kennedy Center as a writer, dancer, singer, and actor. As a U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer, Shannon supported the 25th Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base, South Korea, and conducted Cyber Threat Analysis at the National Security Agency. Her work has been seen in Business Insider, Task & Purpose, Military.com, and various other publications. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()