Veteran-Founded Landmine Removal Mission Gets Documentary Spotlight

A humanitarian organization founded by a retired U.S. Army Green Beret is drawing new attention this week as a documentary chronicling its work began streaming on Prime Video in the United States and United Kingdom. The film, titled “Safe Ground: A Green Beret’s Mission to Remove Ukraine’s Landmines,” follows Ryan Hendrickson, a Purple Heart and Silver Star recipient who founded Tip of the Spear Landmine Removal after surviving an improvised explosive device blast in Afghanistan.

The documentary premiered on September 12, a date Hendrickson refers to as his “Alive Day,” marking the anniversary of the 2010 incident in which he stepped on an IED while attempting to rescue an Afghan soldier during combat operations. He survived, returned to active duty, and later redirected his military training toward founding an organization dedicated to clearing landmines from Ukrainian farmland and communities affected by war.

Hendrickson has described the venture as a direct extension of his combat experience, saying every mine his team removes represents a life allowed to continue, whether that of a farmer returning to his field or a child able to walk safely to school. The film is available to Prime members as part of their subscription, as well as available to rent or purchase, and is positioned as part of a broader five-film documentary series called “Faith in War,” produced by the team behind the earlier project “A Faith Under Siege.” That series focuses on personal stories emerging from the war in Ukraine, highlighting acts of resilience and sacrifice.

The project reflects a growing category of veteran-led enterprises that channel military expertise into civilian humanitarian missions, particularly around explosive ordnance disposal. Ukraine has become one of the most heavily mined countries in the world since 2022, with vast stretches of agricultural land, roadways, and residential areas rendered dangerous or unusable. International demining organizations have estimated that clearing the affected territory could take years, if not decades, given the scale of contamination and the technical risk involved in the work.

For veterans transitioning out of military service, founding organizations built around specialized combat skills has become an increasingly visible entrepreneurial path. Landmine and explosive remnants clearance requires the kind of technical training, discipline, and risk tolerance built during deployments, making it a natural fit for former special operations personnel seeking a continued sense of mission. Nonprofit ventures in this space typically rely on a mix of private donations, corporate partnerships, and government contracts to fund equipment, training, and on-the-ground personnel in conflict-affected regions.

Media partnerships, including documentary features and streaming distribution deals, have also become a tool that smaller humanitarian organizations use to raise visibility and attract donors who might otherwise never encounter their work. By pairing a personal survival narrative with the broader humanitarian stakes of demining efforts, the producers behind “Safe Ground” appear to be aiming to translate audience engagement into support for Hendrickson’s ongoing operations in Ukraine.

Amazon’s Global Head of Military Affairs, Charlotte La Belle, characterized the partnership as an example of veterans continuing to serve beyond their military careers, framing Hendrickson’s transition from soldier to humanitarian founder as consistent with a broader effort to spotlight veteran-led initiatives through the platform. Producer Colby Barrett, a former U.S. Marine Corps captain, said the film was intended to convey both the personal toll of Hendrickson’s injury and the broader stakes for Ukrainian civilians living alongside unexploded ordnance.

The documentary’s release adds to a small but growing catalogue of films focused on the human cost of the war in Ukraine, several of which have used streaming platforms to reach international audiences directly rather than relying solely on festival circuits or traditional broadcast deals.

According to the press release distributed by FourthSign Productions, as reported by PR Newswire, the film is now streaming alongside the broader “Faith in War” documentary series.