Bobette Brown

Carol Seitz Photography

B.R. McDonald

Carol Seitz Photography

Charlie Ebersol and Kate Hoit

Michael Kovac/Yield Media

Paula Broadwell

Carol Seitz Photography

Dave Lara, Matthew Skoma, and Alan Pietruszewski

Michael Kovac/Yield Media
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December 17, 2015
Academy News

Vets: They’re Just Like Us

At bicoastal storytelling events, U.S. veterans share their multifaceted lives.

Ann Farmer

Before J.W. Cortes assumed the role of detective Carlos Alvarez on Fox’s Gotham — policing Catwoman, the Joker and other fictional Batman villains — he faced genuine peril as a U.S. Marine during the 2003 Iraq invasion.

In a particularly dicey situation, he crouched in a hole while scud missiles rained down around him. Peering up at the sky, his thoughts returned to his carefree youth in Brooklyn, when he would sing and busk on the subways. He vowed to make the most of whatever remained of his life.

“I never thought, in my wildest dreams, that I would end up on your TV screen,” he told a crowd of 200 at a storytelling event in New York City on November 5. The audience — primarily content creators — had gathered at HBO’s midtown headquarters to hear veterans tell stories from their lives.

The event marked the third annual storytelling session presented by Got Your 6, which translates to “I’ve got your back” in military-speak. Got Your 6 functions as a call-for-action for its national coalition of TV and film studios, agencies, production companies and other organizations to bridge the civilian-military divide and change public perceptions of veterans.

“We’re not all broken,” Cortes remarked at a breakfast before the stories began. The actor, who juggles a second career as a real NYC police officer, was one of many veterans showcased at the event. Another group of vets, — including Nate Boyer, formerly of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks — participated in a similar event at Paramount Studios in L.A. on November 10.

Introducing the speakers was Rob Gordon, president of Got Your 6’s parent organization, Be the Change, Inc. Gordon, who is also a veteran, explained that Americans often associate veterans with homelessness and joblessness rather than as civic leaders and assets to society. Got Your 6 seeks to change that by influencing content creators to depict veterans more realistically and accurately.

“We couldn’t do it without the entertainment community,” Gordon said, pointing out that the event sponsors included the Television Academy, HBO, Paramount and others in the industry.

HBO’s vice-president of corporate social responsibility, Dennis Williams, agreed. “Stories have the power to change hearts and minds,” he said, noting that programs like HBO’s Emmy-winning 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers, which was based on interviews with WWII vets, reach large numbers of viewers.

The morning program included a sketch by veteran-writer-comedian Benari Poulten and an audio piece by StoryCorps. The seven featured veteran speakers, meanwhile, took turns on stage describing how they imbued their post-military lives with purpose and meaning:

• Danielle Green gripped her left elbow for a while before pointing out that she wore a prosthetic. Her real arm, she explained, was severed by a grenade during an Army security detail on a Baghdad rooftop. “What matters most is how you respond,” said Green, who provides readjustment counseling to veterans.

• Justine Cabulong, who presented a peppy Power Point in pink high heels, described carrying 100 pounds of equipment, equal to her weight. “I’ve shot weapons with these tiny hands,” said the petite former Marine, who has since found a more creative niche on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.

• “I had enough of perpetual war,” said Andrew Bacevich, bluntly. Since retiring as an Army colonel, he has authored, coauthored or edited a dozen books, including American Empire and The Limits of Power. “The key to living a satisfying life,” he said, “is to know who you are.”

• Army veteran Aryanna Berringer recently founded One Push Up, a nonprofit that helps veterans become farmers and encourages healthier eating; the effort is, in part, a response to her personal weight struggles while growing up on food stamps.

• Paula Broadwell and Bobette Brown both experienced sexual harassment in the service. Broadwell is now the director of Think Broader Foundation, which promotes dignified depictions of women in the media, while Brown is a motivational speaker and life coach.

• BR McDonald served for seven years as an Arabic linguist and Special Operator before returning to what he best loves: acting and singing. He also founded the Veteran Artist Program and summed up the proceedings: “The theme this morning is that you don’t seem like you’re in the Army.”

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