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Information

• Member: WesW
• Studio: Classic Rock Productions
• Title: Tour of Duty
• Premiered: 2008-02-24
• Categories:
  • Drama
  • Serious
• Song:
  • Billy Joel Goodnight, Saigon
• Anime:
  • Full Metal Panic
• Comments: This is a somber video about the terrors and losses of war, taken from the Helmondistan arc of Full Metal Panic. It portrays Sousuke as a soldier called off to war, and Kaname as the young girlfriend or wife left behind to fear for her husband's safety.
  The song is a depressing ode to the Vietnam War by Billy Joel, perhaps based upon his own experiences- I haven't tried to find out yet. Suffice to say, if you are looking for something upbeat, this isn't what you want.
  Note: When you score this video, please judge it according to what it is supposed to be, which is sad. It's not a comedy or a feel-good rock number. If you come away from it disturbed or saddened, then you should give it a high score, as it has succeeded in its purpose.
  I realize that this vid isn't edited as tightly or quickly as a normal one around here, but it wasn't really intended for a typical AMV enthusiast. It was made with people in mind who might not know much about anime or amv's, but who could relate to the experiences of the characters. Therefore, I didn't want quick edits to overshadow the overall mood of the song and its lyrics. I also wanted to allow the tragedy which unfolds to fully develop at the pace of the song, and not worry so much about beat-synching and the like.
  I personally think it's quite effective overall. I mean, if you don't get choked up when Grey (the woman) dies, then... I don't know.
  
  Note: Though this is a sad video, it is not in any way a comment on the current Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In fact, I support the effort in Afghanistan, and believe that we should not pull out of Iraq until we can be sure all of our service members' sacrifices will have not been in vain.
  I also would rather that some of the lyrics were not so depressing, but that's one of the restrictions you have to deal with when making AMVs.
  However, all war is hell, and there is no denying the strains that the conflicts have placed upon both those fighting them and those waiting at home for a loved one's return. It has been estimated that about 25% of returning vets suffer from PTSD, and that few receive help for the condition. While it has also been show that many of them do as well or better without professional help as with it, there were also a record 121 suicides by servicemembers in 2006. If anything, I hope that this video might help members or their loved ones in need realize their condition and seek out the help they need. It you become aware of any instances where this video helped someone, I would be very interested to hear about it.