Wars have been fought overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. And wars have been battled at home in the minds of veterans who have returned from conflict only to find their warm beds and day jobs do not erase their memories of the desert.

This is an issue weighing on the men who make up the cast of “Tracers.”

“It’s opened my eyes to what vets do to themselves after conflict and how PTSD affects everyone differently,” said cast member Nate Feder.

The play, written by Vietnam veterans, is a devastating, moving and disturbing account of war from the perspective of “the grunts” who not only witnessed war, but were entrenched within its many horrors. The power comes from its truth, from the men who were willing to let their stories be taken to the stage. “Tracers” runs Fridays to Sundays, Nov. 9 to 18, 7:30 p.m. at the Grange.

The play follows the lives of a group of “grunts” as they move from basic training, on to combat in Vietnam, and finally to the realization that their lives will be forever affected by their memories and the part they have played in war. It’s timeless message.

“Each character represents a snapshot of a person and I could imagine that there are eight guys in Afghanistan that are similar,” said Feder.

It’s these characters who show times of struggle and violence can produce a great love and brotherhood within the troops. And just like the military, cast members come from different backgrounds and have bonded together through a shared goal of creating a show.

“The play has been cast by eight young men who are new to The Grange stage – a few with no acting experience whatsoever,” said Director Lin McNulty. “Their dedication and excitement about doing this play is palpable, and they have been in rehearsals since August to bring this to the stage.”

To prepare for “Tracers” the entire cast gathered to watch “The Welcome,” an up close and personal documentary about a group of veterans who served in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq, and who came together to work with each other at a healing retreat in 2008 near Ashland, Ore. Cast member Mike Buckner said it was illuminating to see how the horror of war can linger for these vets even after 40 years.

According to research by AP and the Department of Defense, the combined death toll – from both recent wars – to American military has reached more than 6,000. For the 33,000 who have been recently withdrawn from Afghanistan, what will they face in the civilian world?

“We, the American people, still do not know how to honor our veterans after they have been to war,” said  McNulty. “Indigenous cultures honored them as ‘warriors’ and ceremoniously welcomed them home. We slap bumper stickers on our cars and call it good.”

Philip Shane, another cast member, brings his own experiences in the military with him to the stage. He joined the Army in 1986 and served as a crew chief for UH-1 Huey helicopters.

“I feel like the original writers and actors needed to be heard then and again now,” he said.

For McNulty, the play not only presents powerful scenes, but may even help shed light on some hope for the future and the way we think about war. As someone who has been married to two Vietnam veterans, she has a personal interest in veterans’ issues.

“I think that in order to prevent war,” she said.  “We need to stare it in the face and not pretend it doesn’t exist.”

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com.