Jarhead is a 2005 American biographical war drama film based on the 2003 memoir of the same name by Anthony Swofford, chronicling his military service in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Persian Gulf War. Directed by Sam Mendes, the film stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Swofford with Jamie Foxx, Peter Sarsgaard, Lucas Black, and Chris Cooper.

In 1989, Anthony “Swoff” Swofford, whose father served in the earlier Vietnam War (1955–1975), attends United States Marine Corps recruit training before being stationed at Camp Pendleton, California. Claiming that he joined the military because he “got lost on the way to college”, Swofford finds his time at Camp Pendleton difficult and struggles to make friends. Although Swofford feigns illness to avoid his responsibilities, a “lifer”, Staff Sergeant Sykes, takes note of his potential and offers Swofford an opportunity to attend his competitive Scout Sniper course.

After grueling training, eight Marines graduate: among them Swofford, now a sniper, and Swofford’s roommate Corporal Alan Troy who becomes his spotter. When Kuwait is invaded by Iraq, Swofford’s unit is deployed to the Arabian Peninsula as a part of “Operation Desert Shield” in the Gulf War (1990–1991). Eager for combat, the Marines find themselves bored with their remedial training, constant drills, and routine responsibilities. The monotony prompts many to talk about the unfaithful girlfriends and wives waiting for them at home. They even erect a bulletin board featuring annotated photographs revealing what perfidies the women had committed (known in military slang as a “Jodie Wall”).

Swofford obtains unauthorized alcohol and organizes an impromptu Christmas party, arranging for Fergus to cover his watch so he can celebrate. Fergus accidentally sets fire to a tent while cooking some sausages and ignites a crate of flares, waking the whole camp and enraging Staff Sergeant Sykes. Afterwards, rather than assign blame to Fergus, Swofford accepts full responsibility for the incident. Consequently, Swofford is demoted from lance corporal to private and receives latrine duty as punishment, which involves burning human waste from the camp with diesel fuel. The punishments, combined with the heat, the boredom, and Swofford’s suspicions of his girlfriend’s infidelity, give Swofford a mental breakdown, to the point where he threatens Fergus with a rifle and then demands that Fergus shoot him.