AFTER watching the total waste that Bobby and Whitney are making of their rich and talented lives, it was like a gift to be handed “True Life: I’m Home From Iraq.”

In a time of controlled war news and action movies that teach kids that war is fun and blowing out of buildings is normal and not dangerous to your health, bravo to MTV for making their most important program of the year. It’s the kind of program any network would be proud to have made.

“True Life: I’m Home From Iraq,” follows three kids, (and make no mistake – many U.S. soldiers in Iraq are kids), who come home from the war.

Bryan, a 20-year-old Marine, is ambivalent about his nine months there and is very worried that he’s going back; Charles, also back from a tour of duty, is clearly suffering from post-traumatic disorder and is terrified of going back; and then there’s Joey, a young sergeant who comes back after losing two legs and his right arm and is in danger of losing his left, due to a recurring blood clot.

There is nothing fun or funny here, but it is a tremendously moving and honest portrayal of the realities of the war in Iraq and what soldiers experience.

We follow the boys as they come home and try to adjust. Joey not only has to heal but has to go through the process of learning to use his prosthetics. In between, he and his girl, Jamie, get married and she rides on his wheelchair. If you don’t cry your eyes out, then your heart – not to mention your patriotism gene – is malfunctioning.

Bravo to MTV for having the courage to create such an important documentary. Don’t miss it.

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“True Life: I’m Home From Iraq”

[****] (Four stars)

Tonight at 10 on MTV