Restrepo- Max Simon

Woah. After finishing the movie, "Restrepo," one can only imagine the turmoil those soldiers went through. Having to go through at least 15 months of constantly combatting for your life, and those of your peers. Although the movie is blatantly different than the Iliad in its sole representation of one side- versus showing the Taliban fighters viewpoints as well- it also differs in the soldier's reasons for fighting. While Greek soldiers fight for kleos and arete, the American troops fight more for freedom of the people against those that wish to conquer them.
Junger's portrayal of the war over the Korengal Valley mimics Homer's beginning of the Iliad by starting in media res. Although the film does document the beginning of the troop's deployment, it, like the Iliad, misses the start of the war and most of the fighting as the filming was in 2007. The soldiers join knowing that "death is a possibility" and to live through it, in their minds, is enough kleos for them. Obviously being able to defeat the enemy helps bring oneself kleos, but when you're using guns and bombs which can kill you at any minute, versus swords and spears which most of the time you can see before it kills you, surviving is kleos and time in itself.
After naming the new outpost after Restrepo, the infantry gave him permanent kleos and fought for his OP which I believe can represent his body and armor. Just as the Trojans and Greeks fight to protect their own's armor and body, which many other deaths have resulted from.