For the first time in history, 90% of wounded American soldiers survive their injuries. This represents a triumph of modern medicine, but also means that thousands of badly wounded soldiers are returning to adapt to a very different and very difficult life. The film has a simple purpose: to tell the stories of ten American veterans of the current Iraq war who have been badly injured physically and/or psychologically.

The film’s design is simple too. Executive producer and on-screen interviewer James Gandolfini is usually only glimpsed from behind as he interviews each soldier who sits in a chair situated against a black background. The documentary is not visually stunning, but the design focuses everything on the soldiers and the stories they tell. Each soldier talks about his or her “Alive Day,” the day each of them “should” have been killed, but managed to survive through equal parts sheer willpower and medical. Many of the soldiers celebrate their Alive Day as a second birthday; however, one man can’t understand why he’s supposed to memorialize the worst day of his life.

“Alive Days” also employs footage from embedded cameras, and makes sparing use of some insurgent released video. A disclaimer at the open of the film warns viewers about the insurgent-released material for those who may be offended. However, most of the film simply consists of the veterans sitting down one by one to tell their frightening stories. In some cases, the story is embellished by uplifting tales of how they have managed to triumph over adversity. For others, unfortunately, the news is almost universally grim, especially for the men and women suffering from brain injuries and post-traumatic disorder; without physical wounds, they don’t necessarily receive the same support or sympathy as other wounded vets, but their suffering is just as severe.

The minimalist approach serves the material well, though I felt the film lingered far too long on lurid details of amputations, particularly the way that wounded soldiers spotted their now-missing limbs in unexpected places. Nonetheless, “Alive Day Memories” is a fitting tribute to the army of wounded created by the invasion and ongoing occupation of Iraq.