"A Company of Soldiers" TV documentary on tonight

[Shec]

A COMPANY OF SOLDIERS

The film A COMPANY OF SOLDIERS will be broadcast Tuesday night (February 22)
on PBS at 9 PM (check local listings).  It is the soldiers' story of
fighting in Iraq - a month in the life of the 1st Battalion of the 8th
Cavalry stationed in South Baghdad.  It was shot last November during one of
the most dangerous times for that unit.

A COMPANY OF SOLDIERS was made by October Films under the umbrella of the
PBS Frontline Series and we'd like to ask you to email this to everyone you
know

with a request for them to send it on to everyone they know.  We are hoping
to get as many US Military families to tune in.  One word of warning is that
the film graphically shows the risks and consequences of what it is to fight
in Iraq - so if you haven't told your loved ones, they might be in for a
shock.

One senior confidential source at the Pentagon who has seen the film told
us: "It is compelling stuff.  It proves once again that it is our Soldiers
who are our best spokespeople.  It is not only courageous filmmaking (both
figuratively and literally), but it's also an example of very insightful
filmmaking. The film captures our Soldiers' humanity, putting a human face
on a very complex set of issues - that is priceless stuff."

More details can be found on the following web link:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/company/

 

[tomahawk6]

A documentary now avaulable in some theaters is Gunner's Palace a very good documentary about a FA unit in Iraq.

http://www.gunnerpalace.com/

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Thats out now?  I thought March.  I def want to see it though.

 

[from darkness lite]

Saw the airing last night.  I thought it was well done, showing what life is really like in an American Company in Iraq.  What really struck me was the "misfits".  In garrison they are the clerks, loggies, siggies, etc, however they are being employed in an active operational role in Iraq.  Reinforces my belief, contrary to the belief some Cbt Spt/Cbt Service Spt trades people, that we are all soldiers first!!!!

Cheers 

 

[54/102 CEF]

A few links that may not be apparent to all in that item above from the links section

http://Companycommand.com

and

http://platoonleader.org

These are discussion groups on tactics and procedures from Over There - can't get into it through our firewall at shhhhhhhhhhhh - the Puzzle Palace.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

I always knew shooting someone's dog would earn their (locals) trust.

 

[54/102 CEF]

I always knew shooting someone's dog would earn their (locals) trust.

Whatever - See how they do earn their trust here - another link from the article above --- are we up to this level?

http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?050117fa_fact

 

[from darkness lite]

I always knew shooting someone's dog would earn their (locals) trust.

Totally agree!!  I have to side with the misfits when they were commenting "What the h**l is the Doc doing with a weapon".  There is always one who ruins it for the rest.  Other than that, I liked the show.  Some will question their convoy tactics, however after being hit by so many IEDs, VBIEDs, etc, we'd probably employ very similar tactics, IMHO.

Cheers  

 

[Charlie]

I thought the show was really well done too.   For anybody who hasn't been overseas, but could be, did the show make you feel somehow less worried about car bombs.   For me all I've really heard bout them is from the news,   but when I was watching the show I was relieved to see that it looked like the soldiers do sometimes have some control over stopping the cars.   I'm sure it;s still horrifiyng, but in some weird way, when I saw these guys handle the potential threats...it made me feel not so nervous about maybe being in that situation someday.                                  

                                   Really amazing what these guys deal with. Closest thing we have to superheroes.  

 

[buzgo]

Saw the airing last night.  I thought it was well done, showing what life is really like in an American Company in Iraq.  What really struck me was the "misfits".  In garrison they are the clerks, loggies, siggies, etc, however they are being employed in an active operational role in Iraq.  Reinforces my belief, contrary to the belief some Cbt Spt/Cbt Service Spt trades people, that we are all soldiers first!!!!

Cheers 

I thought it was really well done too. I'm not 100% sure that the 'misfits' were clerks and such, when Sgt. Garcia spoke at Spc Babbit's 'funeral' he mentioned that he had been in his tank with him.

You are correct though, it is a good example of soldier first!

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

I also got the impression that they were tankers.

 

[JasonH]

A COMPANY OF SOLDIERS

The film A COMPANY OF SOLDIERS will be broadcast Tuesday night (February 22)
on PBS at 9 PM (check local listings).  It is the soldiers' story of
fighting in Iraq - a month in the life of the 1st Battalion of the 8th
Cavalry stationed in South Baghdad.  It was shot last November during one of
the most dangerous times for that unit.

A COMPANY OF SOLDIERS was made by October Films under the umbrella of the
PBS Frontline Series and we'd like to ask you to email this to everyone you
know

with a request for them to send it on to everyone they know.  We are hoping
to get as many US Military families to tune in.  One word of warning is that
the film graphically shows the risks and consequences of what it is to fight
in Iraq - so if you haven't told your loved ones, they might be in for a
shock.

One senior confidential source at the Pentagon who has seen the film told
us: "It is compelling stuff.  It proves once again that it is our Soldiers
who are our best spokespeople.  It is not only courageous filmmaking (both
figuratively and literally), but it's also an example of very insightful
filmmaking. The film captures our Soldiers' humanity, putting a human face
on a very complex set of issues - that is priceless stuff."

More details can be found on the following web link:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/company/

Very good series on every tuesday night

Next week will be about soldiers coming home suffering from Post Tramautic Stress Sydrome and other depression/Stress related syndomes/Illness's

 

[from darkness lite]

I thought it was really well done too. I'm not 100% sure that the 'misfits' were clerks and such, when Sgt. Garcia spoke at Spc Babbit's 'funeral' he mentioned that he had been in his tank with him.

You are right, I may have over-generalized.  However at the beginning of the program they did say they were all members of the Admin Coy, which would include tankers, etc if they are manned like our Admin Coys in Inf/Tk units.  In any case, Cbt missions are not the normal routine for the Admin Coy, reinforcing the soldiers first belief.

Cheers

 

[TangoTwoBravo]

My thanks to Shec (the original poster) for giving advance notice of the program.  A good street-level and non-political look at the war in Iraq.  I was impressed that the soldiers involved allowed the cameras to get that close.


Cheers

 

[D-n-A]

For those who missed it, you can watch it on the website on Friday Febuary 25

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/company/view/



http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/company/

 

[purple peguin]

I agree that show is great documentary ( not so for the personnel over in those areas) but to educate people about those situations.