
Before the Fire: India Battery Arrives
Clip: 1/12/2026 | 2m 20sVideo has Closed Captions
Marines of India Battery 3/12 arrive in Afghanistan, filled with hope, unaware of what's to come.
In May 2010, the men of India Battery 3/12 deploy to Afghanistan’s Helmand Province. Through the eyes of Cpl. J.V. Villarreal and Cpl. Billy Branch, we witness the excitement of arrival and the powerful brotherhood of the unit — just before the harsh realities of combat, injury, and loss forever alter their lives.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback

Before the Fire: India Battery Arrives
Clip: 1/12/2026 | 2m 20sVideo has Closed Captions
In May 2010, the men of India Battery 3/12 deploy to Afghanistan’s Helmand Province. Through the eyes of Cpl. J.V. Villarreal and Cpl. Billy Branch, we witness the excitement of arrival and the powerful brotherhood of the unit — just before the harsh realities of combat, injury, and loss forever alter their lives.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Welcome to Afghanistan.
We ain't in California no more.
I think I just swallowed a bug.
All of our weapons.
We're getting ready.
This is where we're staying at.
That's Branchito.
Branchito!
We were studs and we ere all looked out for each other.
We had like, an actual love for each other.
It's not just some dude., you know, you go out to field ops together and then go to war with kind of deal like you're brothers, like a wolf pack.
Some sort of.
I figured it would be like a bunch of stray dogs, like you know, that all got together, you know rocked out.
Just want to give y'all a quick look of where we're living at, you know, show you the conditions that we got to live when we're in Afghanistan, and what we put up with, and how little we get paid while we're out here.
So here's quick view.
That Texas flag right there, you see that, that Texas flag in Afghanistan.
And it is 120 degrees by the way.
Say Westside.
Go like this.
You know how to go West side?
Cross fingers.
Westside!
A Family United in Remembrance
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 1/12/2026 | 2m 49s | Marines reunite at J.V. Villarreal’s memorial in a powerful ritual of healing. (2m 49s)
Reunion in Neihart: Brothers in Memory and Survival
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 1/12/2026 | 1m 47s | Marines reunite in Montana, confronting memories of war and survival. (1m 47s)
Video has Closed Captions
Preview: 1/12/2026 | 30s | Meet a brotherhood of Marines struggling to overcome trauma from their deployment to Afghanistan. (30s)
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