American Veteran: The Reckoning

“Those who went into the service and those who did not, we are two different realities,” observes a veteran.

The Reckoning, part four of American Veteran, airs Tuesdays, November 16 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV. But there are differences from veteran to veteran. Some appreciate “Thank you for your service;” others wonder if the thanks are just “bumper sticker deep.” Veterans reflecting on their service ask how we—veterans and civilians together—can move America forward. Hosted by J. R. Martinez.

The American Veteran production team, led by Insignia Films, interviewed a diverse group of nearly 50 veterans— young and old, enlisted and officers, men and women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and those whose service left them with physical disabilities or PTSD. In each episode, veterans reflect on and share their personal experiences in the military, from boot camp to service in war and peacetime to return to civilian life.

The broadcast of the American Veteran series is made possible locally with support from: