AMERICAN VETERAN

By Jennifer Robinson / Web Producer

Published October 20, 2021 at 4:58 PM PDT

Female Marine Corps recruit Kylieanne Fortin, 20, of Williamsport, Maryland goes through close combat training at the United States Marine Corps recruit depot June 23, 2004 in Parris Island, S.C. Marine Corps boot camp, with its combination of strict discipline and exhaustive physical training, is considered the most rigorous of the armed forces recruit training. Congress is currently considering bills that could increase the size of the Marine Corps and the Army to help meet US military demands in Iraq and Afghanistan. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

Wednesdays, April 2 - 23, 2025 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 / Stream now with KPBS Passport!

AMERICAN VETERAN is a four-part series that illuminates the veteran experience with a stunning range of voices from today and across the arc of American history. This multi-platform initiative traces the veteran experience through a broadcast series, podcast, and digital shorts. Every voice featured is a veteran’s.

From the citizen-soldiers returning from the American Revolution to today’s warrior class, they tell a deeply moving story, highlighting personal remembrances, drawing civilian viewers into an unfamiliar culture, and highlighting the evolving relationship between Americans who have served in the military and those who have not.

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AMERICAN VETERAN is a four-part documentary series tracing the veteran experience across the arc of American history and exploring the present-day divide between civilian and veteran communities. From the citizen-soldiers returning from the Revolution to today’s warrior class, it is a deeply moving story, illuminating the veteran experience and drawing civilian viewers into an unfamiliar culture.

TV episode narrators are: TV host and former Marine Drew Carey; Iraq War Army veteran Senator Tammy Duckworth; actor, Vietnam War veteran (National Guard) and Native American (Cherokee) activist Wes Studi; and actor, motivational speaker and Army veteran, J. R. Martinez.

EPISODE GUIDE:

Episode 1: “The Crossing” Encore Wednesday, April 2, 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 - As recruits take the oath to serve, they leave the civilian world to become a soldier, sailor, marine, airman or woman. This is the start of their transformation. Narrated by TV host and former Marine Drew Carey.

In Basic training (boot camp), recruits follow orders without hesitation, or they won’t make it. To stand out, you’d better excel or you’re in for a lot of pain. It’s often easier to remain anonymous, though this can be challenging, because the day-to-day, and especially the drills, are often emotionally and physically extreme. Recruits are under a microscope and a drill instructor misses nothing.

Episode 2: “The Mission” Encore Wednesday, April 9 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Join host Senator Tammy Duckworth to learn how military life shapes servicemen and women in profound and unexpected ways. Veterans’ personal stories showcase the raw impact of these experiences from D-Day to Afghanistan.

“In my head I was going to go do six months, save some money, lose some weight, and come back home. That was the plan,” Shoshana Johnson recalls. The first month in-country, her convoy was ambushed and eleven soldiers were killed. Johnson was wounded, captured along with five others, and held for 22 days, becoming the first Black female POW in U.S. military history. Watch Shoshana share her story.

Episode 3: “The Return” Encore Wednesday, April 16 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Join host Wes Studi to explore the road back to civilian life. For some veterans there are ticker-tape parades; for others, protests, anger and silence. Some recall the confidence they brought home, while others think, “What am I going to do now?”

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Hollywood war stories mostly end with the hero’s return. In reality, the road back to civilian life is less certain. For some, there were ticker-tape parades; for others, protests, anger and silence. Some veterans return home full of confidence, while others think, “What am I going to do now?” Hosted by actor Wes Studi, Vietnam War Veteran (National Guard) and Native American (Cherokee) activist.

Episode 4: “The Reckoning” Encore Wednesday, April 23, 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Join host J.R. Martinez as veterans reflect on their experiences in the military, the divide between those who have served and those who have not, and the ways veterans and civilians can work together to move America forward.

Brandon Anderson served in the army from 2003 to 2008, when the policy was ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ His fiancé at the time was his best male friend, so he was living a double life. When tragedy fell, and his partner was the victim of police violence, Brendan was forced to disclose his sexuality, and given a dishonorable discharge from the army, to which he’d devoted 5 years of his life.

Watch On Your Schedule: The series is available on demand with KPBS Passport, a benefit for members supporting KPBS at $60 or more yearly, using your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire or Chromecast. Learn how to activate your benefit now.

Finding a new normal after military service can be challenging. In 2010, Marine Veteran Jake Wood pulled a team of veterans together to respond to Haiti’s 2010 earthquake. There, they could put their unique skills as servicemen and women to good use, which ultimately helped with their re-integration back into civilian life. Team Rubicon, the organization he founded, now has 125,000 volunteers.

Credits: Produced by Insignia Films. Stephen Ives and Leah Williams directed the series, which is written by Stephen Ives and Gene Tempest. The series producer is Amanda Pollak. The digital series, “American Veteran: Keep it Close,” is produced by Blue Chalk, producer Mariko Fujinaka and supervising producer Natalie Taylor. The podcast, “American Veteran: Unforgettable Stories,” is a production of Insignia Films for GBH, produced by Curtis Fox with sound design by Ian Coss and production and distribution support from PRX.

Funding for AMERICAN VETERAN is provided by The Wexner Family Charitable Fund, Battelle Memorial Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, JPMorgan Chase & Co, and Analog Devices.

AMERICAN VETERAN

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