Wars never really end, because even though they may finish on the battlefield, many veterans bring the war back home and are forced to live with them for the rest of their lives.

This sad and sobering truth is highlighted by Photographers like David Jay and James Nachtwey, who have been documenting young and badly wounded American soldiers following their return home from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I have been a witness, and these pictures are my testimony. The events I have recorded should not be forgotten and must not be repeated,” writes Nachtwey, while Jay’s project, compiled into a series called Unknown Soldier, was a finalist in the Portrait category for the Magnum Photography Awards 2016.

Talking about his pictures, Jay wrote that they present “an opportunity to open a dialogue about issues we are not necessarily comfortable with…and also issues that we are responsible for. The images can be uncomfortable for the viewer. It forces us to confront our fears and inhibitions about life, death, sexuality, sickness, relationships, etc. Reality is not always pretty. This is reality. Let’s address it.”

More info: David Jay | James Nachtwey (h/t: allthatisinteresting, lensculture)