The photograph of the soldier is a composite image created from 12 servicemen portraits who were killed in the Second Gulf War. 11 were Americans, 1 was Canadian. The resulting image is what we see on the screen representing Celeste's fallen brother.
The cemetery seen in the final shot is Fort Smith National Cemetery, located in Sebastian County, Arkansas, U.S.A.
The flag and military collectibles are not props, but actual war relics belonging to the cast and crew.
The first DVD copy of this film was sent to the "Women In Military Service For America Memorial" at Arlington National Cemetery in time for Memorial Day observance, May 31, 2010.
According to R. Christian Anderson, the screenwriter, the title does not have any political reference. It refers to the father bringing iced tea to his daughter as an opening to start a conversation about her destiny. Neither the father or daughter ever take a sip of the tea.