Spc. Robert Acosta

20 years old, 1st Armored Division, was wounded July 13, 2003 in Baghdad when a grenade was thrown into his Humvee. In the explosion, he lost his right hand and the use of his left leg. He has been diagnosed with chronic and severe post traumatic stress syndrome.

Photographed April 13, 2004 at his home in Santa Ana, California.

"In California, nobody really knows what the soldiers are going through. They see on TV, oh yeah, two soldiers got wounded today and they think, yeah, he’ll be alright. But that soldier is scarred for life.

Before I would go to a lot of parties. I was always out and about. I haven’t been to a party. I haven’t been to a club. I just don’t like dealing with the question, like, ‘Was it hot?’ ‘Did you shoot anybody?’ They want me to glorify war and say it was so cool. The reality of it is, seeing all that crap, fucks you up in the head man. I can’t sleep at night. It sucks. It really sucks."