When moms return from war: 'Fort Bliss' portrays the challenges of reconnecting at home

A decorated Army medic and single mother (Michelle Monaghan) returns home from an extended tour in Afghanistan to discover that the bond with her five-year-old son has been shattered. In her absence, the boy has attached to his father (Ron Livingston) and his new girlfriend (Emmanuelle Chriqui). As she struggles to reclaim her son's affection and reintegrate into civilian life, she meets a mechanic (Manolo Cardona) with whom she becomes romantically involved. Just as her life begins to stabilize and the bond with her son shows signs of healing, she gets news of another deployment. She must now find a way to reconcile her duties as a mother and her obligations as a soldier. Director: Claudia Myers Starring: Michelle Monaghan, Ron Livingston, Manolo Cardona, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Freddy Rodriguez, Gbenga Akkinagbe, Pablo Schreiber, Dash Mihok, John Savage, Oakes Fegley Subscribe to Voltage Pictures for all our latest releases: http://bit.ly/1kjjbOy For more info visit: http://bit.ly/QJ1Jd0 Like on FACEBOOK: http://on.fb.me/1kvCjrV Follow on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/1hkWmps

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The new film "Fort Bliss" centers on a female veteran who returns home after a grueling 15-month tour in Afghanistan and finds that life has changed — a lot.

The new film "Fort Bliss" centers on female veteran who returns to civilian life after a grueling 15-month tour in Afghanistan.

Army medic Maggie Swan finds that life at home has changed — a lot.

Her ex-husband, Richard, tells her that he's engaged and his fiancé — who has been helping him care for Maggie's young son Paul while she's been away — is pregnant.

That's just the tip of the iceberg for Maggie.

She's been away for almost a third of her son's life and he's confused. He wants nothing to do with her. Maggie struggles to reconnect and be a mom again — all while coping with the trauma she experienced abroad.

"They're really struggling with this passion and this sense of duty and their commitment to their country and their wanting to be [overseas]; but also being a devoted mother and the challenges of having to parent long-distance," says Michelle Monaghan, who plays Maggie.

Often times, the deeper emotions don't even begin to bubble to the surface until soldiers return home. "Having emotionally suppressed a lot of feelings for that long, which is your job when you're focused on a task... then to be able to flip a switch as soon as you get home, the reconnecting is very much a challenge for these women," Monaghan says.

"Fort Bliss" is in theaters in New York, Los Angeles and Fort Bliss, Texas on Sept. 19. Click here for more information.