Veterans report for duty on sets of military shows
A wave of military- themed TV shows has resulted in a side benefit: more jobs for veterans in the entertainment industry.
As Veterans Day is celebrated Saturday, dozens of former military personnel are busy working on shows such as CBS’ SEAL Team, NBC’s The Brave, CW’s Valor and National Geographic’s The Long Road Home.
Why are service members in demand? The competitive entertainment landscape demands authenticity, and veterans can supply that by consulting on the use of weapons, combat techniques and day- to- day details of military life.
And that has created opportunities to learn new skills and build a career. “The more military projects there are, the more veterans are able to get work. We’ve recognized that and have tried to get as many involved as we can,” says SEAL Team consulting producer and actor Tyler Grey, who served in Army Special Operations.
More than 100 veterans, including two Special Operations officers and two SEALs, have worked on
SEAL Team ( Wednesdays, 9 ET/ PT), which follows the missions and home lives of a group of elite Navy operatives.
Valor ( Mondays, 9 ET/ PT) counts two veterans among its writing staff, April Fitzsimmons and Shamar S. White; and Long Road, filmed at Fort Hood, Texas, calls on the technical expertise of Aaron Fowler and Eric Bourquin, retired Army soldiers involved in the Iraq War battle depicted in the eight- part miniseries ( Tuesdays, 10 ET/ PT).
Grey and other armed forces- to-Hollywood veterans serve as connections for military personnel interested in film or TV work, along with groups including Veterans in Media and Entertainment.
“What we’ve seen in the last five years is that studios are trying to find out how to incorporate veterans into their hiring program,” says Karen Kraft, a VME board member who served six years in the Army Reserve.
Although employment statistics are difficult to track, “a lot of young veterans want to transition into Hollywood,” she says.
“I hope SEAL Team continues to do well, because that’s going to allow more veterans to get a job,” which could lead to future employment, Grey says.
Mikal Vega, who served as a Navy SEAL and is now technical adviser on
The Brave ( Mondays, 10 ET/ PT), began his entertainment career as an actor and now wants to direct. The advisory job has given him access to the creative side.
“They had me in the writers room helping with story,“he says, and he also helped frame secondary scenes. “It’s pretty damn rewarding.”