Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
For the last few years, we've talked a bit on
(00:02):
the show about a really interesting event put on by
the University of Colorado, often sponsored by the Nursing School,
but it's a very broad event, Partnerships for Veteran and
Military Health Conference. So joining us to talk more about
what he's going to do with the conference, and then
I can give you more info about the conference, and
it's up on the blog at Rosskominski dot com, so
(00:24):
you can find more about the conference. But joining us
to talk about what he's doing is Jake Rodemacher who
he put out a film some years ago called Brothers
at War, a documentary film that he produced following US
soldiers in the in the Iraq War. And he's got
a new film that just came out this year, Brothers
(00:46):
After War, that's going to be screened at this conference.
So Jake, welcome to Kaawa, Thanks for being.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Here, thanks for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
So your your film is not just a film, it's
not just it is telling a story, multiple stories, but
you've got a purpose, So tell us about the purpose.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, what's interesting about this film.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
When I originally made Brothers at War was because my
brothers told me the truth wasn't making it out of
a rack. So I went overseas and I embedded in
an Isaac's unit, and then eventually three more units and
made that film.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
This film was made for a different purpose.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
The first film sort of transformed into a workshop that's
been done for about fifty thousand service members and their families.
So our service members would see a piece of their
story in that story, and then we journal and have
a conversation about it. And so with this new film,
the Gary Sneeze Foundation said, we want you to make
a follow up film. We love your vision on that,
(01:41):
but please also make a seminar for veterans.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
So the film is a film.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
It played in movie theaters, it played in Denver, and
it's out on digitally and on DVD. But the real
purpose behind it in many ways is the seminars. The
conversations the film kick off. In fact, you see me
leading a seminar with about a thousand soldiers back from
the Middle East at the beginning of the film, and
that's sort of what I've gone on to do.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
And so this film, it's not only.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
A film to be enjoyed and to learn more about
our veterans and whatnot.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
But it's also for the folks who've lived this life.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
It's a jumping off point to do a little introspection
or journaling, or also to have a conversation with their
loved ones about their experiences.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Your first film was significantly about your brothers. What about
the second film?
Speaker 3 (02:29):
So the second film, Isaac and both In the film,
you know, they're no longer a corporal and a captain.
They're now a battalion commander and a master sergeant. They've
gone on to deploy. We join Isaac on his seventh
deployment in the film. Joe's deployed nine times. But the
film is not just about them. I follow up with
those my two brothers and ten other veterans friends I
(02:50):
made in Iraq in the four in beds in three
months that I spent there. So the film, you know,
my concept as a filmmaker was I wanted to tell
the story of the veteran of a veteran through the
story of twelve veterans.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Is this about?
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Is this primarily about what it's like going from military
life to civilian life? What else does it covers?
Speaker 2 (03:16):
That is definitely a huge theme in the film.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
You see some of the service members have left service
a long time ago, and we cut from a moment
in Iraq to the present day. Others have recently separated
from service, like you know, big Ern has left a
year ago after twenty years and seven deployments and is
struggling with that loss of identity.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
And then my brothers are looking at the end of
the road. You know.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Joe is planning on and getting hitting his twenty years
and rolling into the next part of his life. And
Isaac has just found out during the course of the
film he's not going to get promoted to fulbird colonel
and therefore his career will have to come to an end.
So that is definitely a huge part of the film.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
You know.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
One of my friends said what he thought the magic
of the film was you saw the warfighter in the
war zone, and you flashed to the veteran.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
They become Wow, it's not the primary reason that you're here.
But is there anything you want to say in particular
about this the Partnerships for Veteran and Military Health conference,
And by the way, folks, this is September third to
fifth of this year, September third to fifth, twenty twenty five,
and it's at the cun Shoots Medical Medical Center, Medical
(04:28):
Campus and again we talk about this every year because
it's such a worthy thing to do, both my parents
being veterans of course, but you know, I don't you're
not primarily here to talk about the event, but do
you want to say anything about that?
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Yeah, it's going to be a great event, and I
when I was you know, they approached me and asked
me to be a part of it. With the release
of the film this year and everything we do with
the seminars, you know, I'm really excited about it.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
I've had a.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Chance to do some of these conferences over the years,
and for myself it's enlightening because it allows me to
know what other resources are out there. You know, if
someone's talking to me about where they are in their
life and they want to get to the next point,
if they're at point B they want to get to
see it's nice to know other programs that are out there.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
You know.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Marcus Institute for Brain Health for Once, for one, is
somebody who we've sort of worked with in the Avalon
Network and the Gary Sneeze Foundation, and so I know,
if somebody sounds like me, maybe a traumatic brain injury,
you know, I can kind of refer them to that group.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
I could say, go take a look at that.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
You know, so these things are very valuable, whether they'll
either benefit yourself or a veteran in your life, you know,
a family member. I think it's it's great to kind
of get an overview and get a sense of of,
you know, what is being done in the space, what
are the breakthroughs, and what resources are out there for
our veterans, you know, for brothers after war.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
We're sort of like a first.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Stop, you know, the things we showcase our storytelling and
the power of that. You know, the ancient Greeks created
theater for their veterans to tell the rest society what
going to war was like and what coming home was
like when the ancient Greeks said war started. And then
we're tapping into you know, warriors circles and it's a
Native American thing. Journaling is something Marcus Aurelius and Julius Caesar,
(06:14):
you know, warriors have used that for thousands of years
to make sense of their experience. So we're teaching that
technique in our seminars. And then the ability to communicate
and tell your story or what's going on or get
to your feelings. You know, that's a key aspect for healing,
but there are a lot of things you can go
do beyond that or separate from that, or that are
great techniques for a certain type of experience or a
(06:36):
certain thing where you might be stuck. So I love
conferences like this because you know, for someone who's going
to tend it's a great experience, but it's also great
for the folks like myself who we have a particular specialty,
we have a particular contribution, but I want to know
what everything else is going on in the space so
I can direct, you know, friends and colleagues and people
(06:57):
that go through our seminars to something that they might
get some some help and relief and turn a corner
in their life.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
This year's Partnerships for Veteran and Military Health Conference is
September third through fifth at the Anshoots Medical Center campus
and information is on my website at Rosscominsky dot com,
or if you can't find it, just email me and
I'll get you the information. At the end of the event,
they'll be screening Jake Rodemacher's new movie Brothers After War,
(07:26):
the follow on to his great documentary from some years
earlier called Brothers at War. Jake, thank you so much
for what you're doing. Congratulations on not just success but success.
It's something so important, so I'm grateful and want to
say congratulations as well.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Thank you so much for the opportunity to come and
talk to you about it today.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Glad to do it.
For the last few years, we've talked a bit on
(00:02):
the show about a really interesting event put on by
the University of Colorado, often sponsored by the Nursing School,
but it's a very broad event, Partnerships for Veteran and
Military Health Conference. So joining us to talk more about
what he's going to do with the conference, and then
I can give you more info about the conference, and
it's up on the blog at Rosskominski dot com, so
(00:24):
you can find more about the conference. But joining us
to talk about what he's doing is Jake Rodemacher who
he put out a film some years ago called Brothers
at War, a documentary film that he produced following US
soldiers in the in the Iraq War. And he's got
a new film that just came out this year, Brothers
(00:46):
After War, that's going to be screened at this conference.
So Jake, welcome to Kaawa, Thanks for being.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Here, thanks for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
So your your film is not just a film, it's
not just it is telling a story, multiple stories, but
you've got a purpose, So tell us about the purpose.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, what's interesting about this film.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
When I originally made Brothers at War was because my
brothers told me the truth wasn't making it out of
a rack. So I went overseas and I embedded in
an Isaac's unit, and then eventually three more units and
made that film.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
This film was made for a different purpose.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
The first film sort of transformed into a workshop that's
been done for about fifty thousand service members and their families.
So our service members would see a piece of their
story in that story, and then we journal and have
a conversation about it. And so with this new film,
the Gary Sneeze Foundation said, we want you to make
a follow up film. We love your vision on that,
(01:41):
but please also make a seminar for veterans.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
So the film is a film.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
It played in movie theaters, it played in Denver, and
it's out on digitally and on DVD. But the real
purpose behind it in many ways is the seminars. The
conversations the film kick off. In fact, you see me
leading a seminar with about a thousand soldiers back from
the Middle East at the beginning of the film, and
that's sort of what I've gone on to do.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
And so this film, it's not only.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
A film to be enjoyed and to learn more about
our veterans and whatnot.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
But it's also for the folks who've lived this life.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
It's a jumping off point to do a little introspection
or journaling, or also to have a conversation with their
loved ones about their experiences.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Your first film was significantly about your brothers. What about
the second film?
Speaker 3 (02:29):
So the second film, Isaac and both In the film,
you know, they're no longer a corporal and a captain.
They're now a battalion commander and a master sergeant. They've
gone on to deploy. We join Isaac on his seventh
deployment in the film. Joe's deployed nine times. But the
film is not just about them. I follow up with
those my two brothers and ten other veterans friends I
(02:50):
made in Iraq in the four in beds in three
months that I spent there. So the film, you know,
my concept as a filmmaker was I wanted to tell
the story of the veteran of a veteran through the
story of twelve veterans.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Is this about?
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Is this primarily about what it's like going from military
life to civilian life? What else does it covers?
Speaker 2 (03:16):
That is definitely a huge theme in the film.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
You see some of the service members have left service
a long time ago, and we cut from a moment
in Iraq to the present day. Others have recently separated
from service, like you know, big Ern has left a
year ago after twenty years and seven deployments and is
struggling with that loss of identity.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
And then my brothers are looking at the end of
the road. You know.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Joe is planning on and getting hitting his twenty years
and rolling into the next part of his life. And
Isaac has just found out during the course of the
film he's not going to get promoted to fulbird colonel
and therefore his career will have to come to an end.
So that is definitely a huge part of the film.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
You know.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
One of my friends said what he thought the magic
of the film was you saw the warfighter in the
war zone, and you flashed to the veteran.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
They become Wow, it's not the primary reason that you're here.
But is there anything you want to say in particular
about this the Partnerships for Veteran and Military Health conference,
And by the way, folks, this is September third to
fifth of this year, September third to fifth, twenty twenty five,
and it's at the cun Shoots Medical Medical Center, Medical
(04:28):
Campus and again we talk about this every year because
it's such a worthy thing to do, both my parents
being veterans of course, but you know, I don't you're
not primarily here to talk about the event, but do
you want to say anything about that?
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Yeah, it's going to be a great event, and I
when I was you know, they approached me and asked
me to be a part of it. With the release
of the film this year and everything we do with
the seminars, you know, I'm really excited about it.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
I've had a.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Chance to do some of these conferences over the years,
and for myself it's enlightening because it allows me to
know what other resources are out there. You know, if
someone's talking to me about where they are in their
life and they want to get to the next point,
if they're at point B they want to get to
see it's nice to know other programs that are out there.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
You know.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Marcus Institute for Brain Health for Once, for one, is
somebody who we've sort of worked with in the Avalon
Network and the Gary Sneeze Foundation, and so I know,
if somebody sounds like me, maybe a traumatic brain injury,
you know, I can kind of refer them to that group.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
I could say, go take a look at that.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
You know, so these things are very valuable, whether they'll
either benefit yourself or a veteran in your life, you know,
a family member. I think it's it's great to kind
of get an overview and get a sense of of,
you know, what is being done in the space, what
are the breakthroughs, and what resources are out there for
our veterans, you know, for brothers after war.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
We're sort of like a first.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Stop, you know, the things we showcase our storytelling and
the power of that. You know, the ancient Greeks created
theater for their veterans to tell the rest society what
going to war was like and what coming home was
like when the ancient Greeks said war started. And then
we're tapping into you know, warriors circles and it's a
Native American thing. Journaling is something Marcus Aurelius and Julius Caesar,
(06:14):
you know, warriors have used that for thousands of years
to make sense of their experience. So we're teaching that
technique in our seminars. And then the ability to communicate
and tell your story or what's going on or get
to your feelings. You know, that's a key aspect for healing,
but there are a lot of things you can go
do beyond that or separate from that, or that are
great techniques for a certain type of experience or a
(06:36):
certain thing where you might be stuck. So I love
conferences like this because you know, for someone who's going
to tend it's a great experience, but it's also great
for the folks like myself who we have a particular specialty,
we have a particular contribution, but I want to know
what everything else is going on in the space so
I can direct, you know, friends and colleagues and people
(06:57):
that go through our seminars to something that they might
get some some help and relief and turn a corner
in their life.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
This year's Partnerships for Veteran and Military Health Conference is
September third through fifth at the Anshoots Medical Center campus
and information is on my website at Rosscominsky dot com,
or if you can't find it, just email me and
I'll get you the information. At the end of the event,
they'll be screening Jake Rodemacher's new movie Brothers After War,
(07:26):
the follow on to his great documentary from some years
earlier called Brothers at War. Jake, thank you so much
for what you're doing. Congratulations on not just success but success.
It's something so important, so I'm grateful and want to
say congratulations as well.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Thank you so much for the opportunity to come and
talk to you about it today.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Glad to do it.
The Ross Kaminsky Show News
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