♪ ♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III.

SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ.

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG.

THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER.

JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD.

CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY.

JUDY AND JOSH WESTON.

DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION.

♪ ♪ >>> WHEN WE DEPLOYED TO AFGHANISTAN.

>> IRAQ.

>> KOREA.

>> VIETNAM.

>> WE WERE AT WAR.

>> FEAR AND ANXIETY BECOMES THE NEW NORMAL.

>> COMBAT UP CLOSE CHANGES YOU.

I WAS SO BADLY INJURED MY CREW THOUGHT I WAS DEAD.

THEY PULLED ME OUT ANYWAY BECAUSE YOU NEVER LEAVE ANYONE BEHIND.

>> ON D-DAY AT 4:00 IN THE MORNING I WAS A BOY.

AT 10:00 AT NIGHT I WAS A MAN.

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "METRO FOCUS" I'M JACK FORD.

THAT WAS A PREVIEW OF "THE MISSION."

THE SECOND INSTALLMENT OF CBS' FOUR-PART DOCUMENTARY SERIES WHICH BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN CIVILIANS AND THOSE WHO IS SERVED.

AS TOLD THROUGH PERSONAL AND OFTEN EMOTIONAL TESTIMONY FROM VETERAN, THE EPISODE FOCUSES ON THE MANY WAYS IN WHICH MILITARY LIFE, WARTIME DEPLOYMENT, IMPACTS SERVICE MEN AND SERVICE WOMEN.

THE EPISODE IS HOSTED BY SENATOR TAMMY DUCKWORTH, HERSELF A VETERAN OF THE IRAQ WAR WHO LOST BOTH LEGS IN COMBAT.

BACK WITH US NOW TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES EXPLORED IN THIS EPISODE OF AMERICAN VETERAN IS LEAH WILLIAMS WHO WAS ONE OF THE DIRECTORS AND PRODUCERS OF THE SERIES AND WE WELCOME LEAH BACK.

>> THANK YOU.

ALSO, WE WANT TO WELCOME TWO VETERANS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROJECT, FORMER ARMY SPECIALIST JENNY PANDOWSKI WHO PROVIDED MEDICAL SUPPORT IN THE IRAQ WAR.

JENNY, WELCOME TO YOU AND CODY AYON, AN IRAQ COMBAT VETERAN WHO SERVEDED IN THE NAVY AND NEW MEXICO NATIONAL GUARD.

WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> LET'S START WITH YOU, AND TO GIVE US A BACKDROP FOR THIS CONVERSATION I'LL ASK YOU TO DESCRIBE THE IDEA BEHIND THIS DOCUMENTARY SERIES AND HOW YOU DECIDED TO STRUCTURE IT.

SURE.

THE IDEA REALLY WAS TO REALLY TAKE A DEEP LOOK AT THE EXPERIENCE AND THE COMPLEXITY AND THE JOYS AND THE PAINS AND THE QUESTIONS THAT VETERANS HAVE ABOUT THEIR SERVICE AND WE THOUGHT THE BEST WAY TO STRUCTURE THAT WAS THROUGH BEING ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE ARC OF A VETERANS CAREER AND THAT MEANT ENLISTMENT AND BEING DRAFTED IN THE TRAINING THAT YOU GO THROUGH.

THAT MEANT YOUR TOUR OF DUTY WHETHER THAT WAS STATESIDE OR DEPLOYED TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY WHETHER THAT WAS DURING WAR OR AT PEACE, AND THEN WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GRAPPLED WITH THE IDEA OF COMING HOME OR LEAVING THE SERVICE, RETIREMENT, IF YOU WILL AND HOW THAT CHANGES AND SHAPES VETERANS AND FINALLY, THE FOURTH EPISODE REALLY LOOKS AT SORT OF RECKONING WITH IT ALL AND HOW VETERANS PROCESS THAT INFORMATION AND THINK ABOUT THEIR OWN IDENTITY AND THEIR IDENTITY IN RELATION TO CIVILIANS AND SORT OF THE CIVILIAN PART OF THAT.

SO, REALLY, WE THOUGHT THIS WAS THE BEST WAY TO STRUCTURE THE SERIES.

>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OBVIOUSLY WITH CODY AND JENNY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MORE RECENT CONFLICT, BUT YOU ACTUALLY DIG BACK INTO OTHER CONFLICTS IN OUR PAST.

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, WE REALLY WANTED TO THE HAVE THE FIRST-PERSON TESTIMONY.

WE HAVE FIVE OR SIX WORLD WAR II VETERANS IN THE SERIES UP THROUGH AFGHANISTAN, AND YOU KNOW, WE ALSO TRY TO SORT OF TOUCH WITH THE FEW HISTORICAL COMPONENTS OF GETTING QUOTES FROM VETERANS FROM PREVIOUSI ERS THROUGH THE REVOLUTION AND WE WANTED TO SHOW THAT A LOT OF THESE THEMES AND THINGS THAT VETERANS WERE GOING THROUGH WERE NOT SPECIFIC TO ONE MOMENT, BUT REALLY CAN BE SHOWN THROUGHOUT HISTORY.

>> AND I SHOULD NOTE -- I SHOULD NOTE AT THE BEGINNING IT'S A MARVELOUS FILM AND IT'S AN IMPACTFUL AND THOUGHTFUL FILM THAT PEOPLE NEED TO WATCH.

CODY AND JENNY, LET ME ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION.

JENNY, I'LL ASK YOU TO ANSWER FIRST, YOU WOULD.

WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS WHEN YOU FIRST APPROACHED TO BE PART OF THIS PROJECT.

>> WHEN I WAS FIRST APPROACHED I WAS VERY, VERY EXCITED AND I HAD STARTED MY NON-PROFIT AND GETTING IT OFF THE GROUND AND WOMEN VETERANS AND EMPOWERED AND THRIVING AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND WOMEN VETERANS AND TO GET WOMEN VETERANS TO IDENTIFY AND I HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST THAT WHEN I DO IT IN WORK SHOP OR WHEN I SHOW UP ON TV, AND I'M VULNERABLE AND I'M OPEN TO TELLING MY STORY, THEN IT ENCOURAGES OTHER WOMEN TO TELL THEIR STORIES, TOO.

SO I WAS REALLY LOOKING FOR THE OUTREACH AND TELLING MY STORY CAN BE CATHARTIC AT TIMES.

>> AND I WANT TO GET TO YOU BOTH YOU AND CODY ABOUT THIS NOTION OF CATHARSIS AND CODY, SAME QUESTION TO YOU.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST REACTION WHEN YOU WERE FIRST APPROACHED ABOUT THE PART?

>> IN LAYMAN'S TERMS I WAS BLOWN AWAY.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT I'D BEEN ASKED FOR SUCH A PRESTIGIOUS OPPORTUNITY TO TELL MY STORY.

I BELIEVE THAT MOST VETERANS THAT I KNOW OF AND FAMILY MEMBERS TO FRIENDS TO COLLEAGUES, WHAT HAVE YOU, THEY BELIEVE THAT THEIR STORY IS NOT QUITE AS UNIQUE AS YOU THINK IT IS AND WHEN I START TO THINK ABOUT THE THINGS I'VE DONE OR BEEN OR EXPERIENCES IT REMINDS ME, HEY, I DID LIVE AN EVENTFUL LIFE BECAUSE TO ME THAT ALL SEEMS IN THE PAST SOMETIMES, BUT IT REALLY BROUGHT BACK A LOT OF MEMORIES THAT WERE SURREAL TO ME, AND I BELIEVE THAT I HAVEN'T SHARED A LOT OF THOSE STORIES AND THINGS WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND WHEN I WAS INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS I KNEW THAT WHEN I WAS ASKED TO BE IN THIS PROCESS I KNEW THAT SOME OF THOSE THINGS WOULD COME UP AND SO IT WAS JUST A VERY HUMBLING EXPERIENCE, AND I AM VERY GRATEFUL.

I CAN'T SAY IT ENOUGH TIMES.

I KNOW THERE ARE MANY OUT THERE THAT HAVE GREAT, WONDERFUL STORIES THAT NEED TO BE SHARED THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY THAT ARE VETERANS THAT HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH FOR THIS COUNTRY AND FOR ME TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY I FEEL BLESSED AND THAT'S WHAT BLEW ME BACK.

>> YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT NOT HAVING SHARED STORIES AND IN SOME WAYS THAT'S A COMMON THREAD HERE.

I GO BACK TO MY FATHER IN LAW LANDED ON D-DAY AND THE THIRD WAVE ON D-DAY AND NORMANDY BEACH AND OMAHA BEACH.

HE WAS SEVERELY WOUNDED TEN DAYS IN AND WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR ALMOST A YEAR.

HE WAS A TRUE HERO.

NEVER TALKED ABOUT IT.

NOT THAT HE WAS ENORMOUSLY PROUD OF THAT, BUT HE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT.

SO I WONDERED WITH BOTH OF YOU, AGAIN, SAME QUESTION.

JENNY, YOU FIRST.

YOU TALK ABOUT BEING PART OF THIS AND WHEN YOU WERE AT ALL LEERY ABOUT THE IDEA OF OPENING UP, OF REVEALING PARTS OF YOURSELF TO WHAT WILL BE AN ENORMOUS AUDIENCE AND NOT JUST A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER, BUT TO PEOPLE WHO KNOW YOU, WERE YOU AT ALL LEAR BEIT, JENNY?

>> EVERY TIME I TELL MY STORY I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT LEERY.

I TRY MY BEST TO TEACH AS WELL AS TO PRACTICE NOT WORRYING ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK OF YOU, BUT IT'S REALLY, REALLY CHALLENGING.

SO IT'S, LIKE OPENING YOURSELF UP AND TRUSTING THAT THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO HEAR IT WILL HEAR IT AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO ATTACK YOU OR JUDGE YOU -- WHEN I CAME HOME I CAME HOME IN 2006 AND 2007 AND PEOPLE WOULD ASK ME IF I WAS A VETERAN'S WIFE.

PEOPLE WOULD ASK ME IF I WAS LYING.

PEOPLE WOULD ASK ME ALL KINDS OF THING, BUT NOT TO THE POINT WHERE THEY'RE, LIKE, YOU WERE IN IRAQ AND YOU WERE A COMBAT MEDIC?

YOU WERE ON THE FRONT LINES?

IT WAS, LIKE, IT TOOK A LOT OF TIME TO GET THROUGH THAT, SO I THINK FROM THOSE EXPERIENCES IN THE BEGINNING I'M STILL ALWAYS LEERY, BUT I OFTEN TELL VETERANS AND MYSELF WHEN YOU PERFORM, WHEN YOU TELL YOUR STORY, IT'S -- IF YOU WANT TO FEEL THAT RUSH AGAIN OF COMBAT OF BEING IN THE MILITARY, STANDING ON THE STAGE IS AN INCREDIBLY EUPHORIC AND FRIGHTENING THING AND TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY AROUND YOU IS HELPFUL.

HAVING THE VETERANS THAT ARE ALSO TELLING THEIR STORIES.

>> INTERESTING THAT YOU COMBINE THE NOTION OF EUPHORIC AND FRIGHTENING AT THE SAME TIME.

>> CODY, HOW ABOUT YOU.

WERE YOU LEERY ABOUT OPENING UP?

>> I FELT THE SAME WAY.

I GUESS I PUT A LOT OF THOSE BACK BEHIND ME, THOSE MEMORIES AND THOSE THOUGHTS AND PROCESSES AND I KIND OF BOXED THEM UP, AND I KNOW I SPEAK OFTEN TO PEOPLE ABOUT DIFFERENT EVENT, BUT MOSTLY I SHARE THOSE SENTIMENTS OR ASPECTS WITH OTHER VETERANS.

LEAH CAN ATTEST TO THIS, AFTER I INTERVIEWED WITH HER I ASKED HER NOT TO INCLUDE SOME OF IT IN THERE AND SHE LAUGHED AT ME.

SHE SAID THAT PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR THIS, THEY NEED TO SEE THIS SIDE OF YOU AND IT REALLY HIT HOME WITH ME BECAUSE I HADN'T SHARED SOME OF THOSE THINGS WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE OR MOST PEOPLE.

IT MADE ME REALIZE THAT I'D BEEN BOTTLING THINGS UP AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR WORLD AND UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH, AND I CAN TALK TO A THOUSAND DIFFERENT VETERANS AND MAYBE TEN OF THEM MIGHT HAVE BEEN WHERE I'VE BEEN AT THAT PLACE IN TIME.

MY FELLOW VETERAN ON WITH ME TODAY, HER TOUR WAS DINT THAN MINE AND WE WERE IN THE SAME COUNTRY, BUT ALL OF THOSE EXPERIENCES AND THE TIME AND PLACE AND THE SCOPE WHERE YOU WERE AT WERE ALL DIFFERENT.

WE WILL PERCEIVE THEM DIFFERENTLY AND WE'LL INTERNALIZE THEM DIFFERENTLY AND WE'LL LIVE THROUGH THEM DIFFERENTLY AND IN TALKING WITH A FELLOW VETERAN, IT MIGHT BE IN A THEATER LIKE IRAQ OR AFGHANISTAN, WE'LL EXPERIENCE THOSE ON DIFFERENT LEVELS AND IT'S HARD TO OPEN UP WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

>> AS A DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER, YOU'VE DONE GREAT WORK, BUT WERE YOU PREPARED FOR THE LEVEL OF EMOTION THAT WAS REVEALED.

YOU GO BACK ALL THE WAY, AND YOU'RE TALKING TO A MAN WHO IN WORLD WAR II AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE COAST GUARD TO THE LANDING CRASH, AND HE TELLS US AN AMAZINGLY MOVING, POWERFUL STORY.

WERE YOU EXPECTING TO DO THAT?

>> I THINK AS FILMMAKERS YOU DO YOUR BEST TO DO ALL OF YOUR RESEARCH SO YOU KNOW THE WAY THAT I FOUND FRANK DEVITO THAT YOU WERE SPEAKING OF, HE WAS AT A STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS AND ACKNOWLEDGED IN THE AUDIENCE OR AS A SPECIAL GUEST, AND I HEARD AND I SAID THAT SOUNDS INTERESTING AND I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH AND READ ABOUT HIM ASK IT SEEMED LIKE SOMETHING THAT HE HAD DONE, AND I THOUGHT THIS IS SOMEONE WHO HAS A LOT OF EMOTION AND A LOT OF HEART AND IF I CAN GET AN OUNCE OF THAT DURING THE INTERVIEW I WOULD HAVE DONE MY JOB.

MY COLLEAGUE AND CO-DIRECTOR, HE'S THE ONE THAT INTERVIEWED MR. DEVITTA AND YOU COULD HAVE HEARD A PIN DROP IN THAT ROOM AND IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE BECAUSE TRULY I FEEL LIKE MR. DEVITTA AT THAT POINT IN TALKING TO US WAS IN THE WATER ABOUT TO LOWER THE RAMP TO GO ON FOR HIS MEN TO GO ON TO THE BEACH AND THAT'S THE PLACE HE TOOK YOU TO, AND IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE AND SO AS MUCH AS YOU PREPARE, AND AS MUCH AS YOU WANT TO FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW AND WHEN YOU SIT IN THAT CHAIR WITH SOMEONE AND THEY LET YOU IN, THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THAT.

THERE'S REALLY NOTHING LIKE THAT, AND TEARS, YOUR HEART SWELLS AND YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT TOGETHER BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO ACTIVELY LISTEN AND THEN ASK THE NEXT SMART QUESTION, BUT IT'S A JOURNEY AND BOTH CODY AND JENNY TOOK ME ON A REALLY EMOTIONAL JOURNEY DURING THEIR INTERVIEWS AND I CAN'T THANK THEM ENOUGH.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT THEM, ALL OF THEM, CODY AND JENNY AND FRANK AND ALL THESE PEOPLE GETTING US THERE, AND THEY DO TRULY GET US THERE, AND IT BRINGS ME TO THE NEXT YEARA.

THE TITLE OF THIS IS THE MISSION AND MANY OF THE PARTICIPANTS HERE TALK ABOUT THIS NOTION OF DEPLOYMENT AND SOMEBODY MAKES A COMMENT, AND IT MIGHT BE SENATOR DUCKWORTH.

I APOLOGIZE I'M NOT REMEMBERING.

THE PERSON SAYS THAT DESPITE ALL YOUR TRAINING THERE'S NO WAY TO REALLY PREPARE FOR WHAT IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU GET THERE.

YOU'RE NODDING YOUR HEAD.

DOES THAT STATEMENT MAKE SENSE TO YOU?

>> YES.

LOOKING BACK, WE WERE ALL ACTING LIKE ROCK STARS IN KUWAIT LIKE ABOUT TO DRIVE OUR MILITARY AMBULANCES, OUR FLAs ACROSS INTO THIS DESERT.

WE WERE TRAINED WITH THE WINNING HEARTS AND MIND, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, 12, 14 HOURS INTO THAT CONVOY I'M TIRED, I'M HUNGRY, IT'S HOT.

WHENEVER OUR AMBULANCES BROKE DOWN IT'S NOT THE WORLD THAT I GREW UP IN, AND YOU'RE NOT SURE WHO THE ENEMY IS, AND YOU'RE NOT REALLY SURE WHAT'S GOING ON ESPECIALLY LOWER ENLISTED, WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON.

THEY TELL US TO GO AND WE GO.

SO THAT WAS A -- YEAH.

IT WAS EXCITING, BUT ALSO -- I DON'T THINK -- I DON'T THINK WE -- WE TRAINED A LITTLE BIT, BUT I WAS IN 2004 SO OUR AMBULANCES WERE STILL YGREEN.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ARMOR YET SO WE WENT IN I LITTLE BIT UNPREPARED AND STILL THINKING ABOUT WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS AND SAVING PEOPLE AS MEDICS.

IT WAS A WHOLE COMPANY OF MEDICS AND IT WAS 100 MEDICS THAT I WENT INTO IRAQ WITH.

>> CODY, HOW ABOUT YOU?

YOU COME FROM BOTH A FAMILY AND A TRADITION THAT HAS INVOLVED MILITARY SERVICE, AND I MENTIONED YOU SERVED IN THE NAVY AND THEN AFTER TIME WAS UP, YOU ENLISTED AGAIN IN THE NATIONAL GUARD AND YOU'RE DEPLOYED TO IRAQ.

WERE YOU PREPARED FOR WHAT IT -- WHAT IT FELT LIKE, WHAT IT SOUNDED LIKE.

SOMEBODY MAKES A GREAT COMMENT, WHAT IT SMELLED LIKE WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT YOUR DEPLOYMENT SITE?

WELL, I'D BE LYING IF I SAID I WAS PREPARED AND I FELT LIKE I WAS READY AND I FELT FUNDAMENTALLY SOUND AND MY EXPERIENCES AND I'D BEEN A S.W.A.T.

COMMANDER BECAUSE I WAS IN THE GUARD AT THE TIME, AND I'VE BEEN ALL OVER THE PLANET AND BETWEEN HONG KONG SMELLS AND NEW YORK SMELLS, BUT THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT.

I CAN TELL YOU THIS, WHEN I HIT THE GROUND IN IRAQ EXACTLY WHAT MY FELLOW VETERAN SAID.

I WASN'T PREPARED FOR THE MUNDANE, COMPLACENT, DAY TO DAY GRIND.

I HAD HEARD ALL THESE STORIES FROM MY RELATIVES, FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO HAD BEEN IN COMBAT, IN THEATER AND THESE DIFFERENT THINGS AND THEY ALWAYS TELL THE HIGHLIGHTS, BUT LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT BEING IN COMBAT, EVERY DAY IT'S A GRIND.

IT'S A STRUGGLE AND AFTER A WHILE IT BECOMES MONOTONOUS, THIS DAILY ROUTINE WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND YOU'RE NOT AHEAD OF THE GAME AND YOU'RE NOT MAKING PROGRESS.

EXACTLY LIKE MY PROGRESS PRESIDENT.

YOU ARE TRYING TO WIN HEARTS AND MINDS AND TRYING TO GET THE BEST OUT OF THE SITUATION WE WERE IN AND TRYING TO MAKE THE BEST OUT OF A BAD SITUATION, WHICH IS WAR.

WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH THAT DAY TO DAY, IT'S HARD TO REMEMBER THAT YOU'RE A PART OF THE BIGGER PUZZLE.

YOU FORGET THE STRUGEL THAT YOU'RE DOING EVERY DAY AND WORRYING ABOUT YOUR FAMILY BACK HOME AND WORRYING IF YOU'LL MAKE IT TO THE NEXT DAY.

THEY'RE ALWAYS IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND, BUT IT'S JUST HARD TO PIECE THAT ALL TOGETHER AND JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD EACH DAY.

I'VE NEVER BEEN TO PRISON, BUT I GUESS IT WOULD BE LIKE SERVING A PRISON SENTENCE.

IT FEELS LIKE THAT FOR SOME PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU'RE GRINDING IT OUT AND WAITING FOR THAT NEXT MOMENT AND SOMETIMES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE WALKING THROUGH MUD, BUT I WASN'T -- I WASN'T FULLY PREPARED FOR IT.

LIKE I SAID, I FELT I WAS, BUT WHEN I GOT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE WATER OF IT ALL, I WASN'T.

I HAD TO TAKE A LOT OF DEEP BREATHS AND FIGURE OUT HOW I WAS GOING TO BE A PART OF THE STRUGGLE.

>> ONCE AGAIN, I WANT TO REMIND OUR VIEWERS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SECOND INSTALLMENT TITLED THE MISSION IN THE FOUR-PART DOCUMENTARY SERIES BY PBS ENTITLED AMERICAN VETERAN.

MAKE SURE YOU CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS TO GET AIRINGS, DATES AND TIMES FOR THE DOCUMENTARY SERIES.

I'M JOINED BY LEAH WILLIAMS, ONE OF THE DIRECTORS AND PRODUCERS AND BY CODY AYON AND JODY PAKENOWSKI, VETERANS FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE.

WHEN TALKING ABOUT FEATURED, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S A FEATURED THREAD IN A LOT OF THE CONVERSATIONS HERE AND THAT'S THE NOEFGSZ CAMARADERIE OF THE RELATIONSHIPS THEY ARE FOR.

>> THERE WAS AN.

PG OBSERVATION, AND PEOPLE THINK YOU LIKE EVERYBODY YOU SERVE.

YOU MAY NOT LIKE EVERYBODY YOU SERVE, IT'S HUMAN NATURE, BUT YOU DO LOVE THEM.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?

JENNY, WHAT DOES THAT STATEMENT MEAN TO YOU?

>> TO ME IT RELATES MOSTLY TO THE CONVOYS AND THEN WHEN I GOT BACK TO GERMANY, JUST WORKING TOGETHER.

YOU HAD TO HAVE SURVIVED THE CONVOYS.

THAT'S THE GOAL.

TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B AND NO MATTER WHO'S NEXT TO YOU OR WHO YOU'RE LOOKING TO SUPPORT BECAUSE WE RAN CONVOYS WITH THE MARINE, THE AIR FORCE, THE ARMY AND EVERYBODY, THEY NEEDED MEDICS.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU LIKE THEM OR NOT, YOU HAVE ONE SPECIFIC GOAL AND IT'S TO SERVE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE WITH, SO THAT WE ALL SURVIVE AND WE COME HOME.

THAT'S THE SERVICE TRAINING AND THAT'S A -- THAT CONCEPT OF THROWING YOURSELF ON A GRENADE.

IT TAKES A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT TO GET THERE.

>> CODY, HOW ABOUT THAT?

DOES THAT STATEMENT KIND OF RESONATE WITH YOU?

THE NOTION THAT CERTAINLY LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE EVERYBODY, BUT WHILE YOU'RE THERE YOU LOVE THEM.

>> YES, SIR, I'M AN INFANTRY OFFICER, I SHOULD SAY, BUT IT'S A UNIQUE ASPECT TO THE WORLD I WAS IN IN THE INFANTRY.

WE ARE ALL THROWN TOGETHER IN A PLATOON AND YOU DEPEND EACH OTHER, RIGHT AND LEFT EVERY DAY LIVING CONDITIONS AND WHEN YOU GET PUT INTO A COMBAT SITUATION OR THROWN IN THE DEPLOYMENT.

THOSE PEOPLE IT THE RIGHT OR LEFT OF THEM, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, YOU'RE IN IT TOGETHER.

IF YOU DIDN'T DID YOUR JOB, MACHINE BREAKS DOWN AND THAT CAN COST YOU LIVES SO YOU IDEALLY WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR THOSE PEOPLE NEXT TO YOU BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO DO THE SAME FOR YOU AND THAT TERM IS USED LOOSELY IN A LOT OF CATEGORIES IN OH, HE'S MY BROTHER OR I LOVE HIM, BUT IN MY FIELD IN THE INFA INFANTRY, THAT'S BLOOD IN, BLOOD OUT.

YOU HONESTLY HAVE TO GIVE THAT PART OF YOURSELF SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN COME HOME AND I'VE BEEN IN THE NAVY WHERE YOU WANT TO DEPLOYMENT OR CREW, IF YOU WILL, AND YOU GO AROUND THE WORLD AND YOU'RE DEPENDING ON OTHER PEOPLE AND THINGS AND EQUIPMENT AND STUFF TO GET YOU HOME, BUT THERE'S NEVER BEEN THAT LEVEL THAT I FELT IN AN INFANTRY UNIT.

YOU'RE WITH EACH OTHER DAY IN AND DAY OUT.

I'M THE LAST PERSON THAT EATS BEING THE LEADING OFFICER.

I'M THE LAST PERSON THAT GOES TO BED.

I'M THE FIRST ONE THAT GETS UP BEFORE ANYBODY DOES AND ALL OF THOSE ASPECTS TIE IN TO GOOD LEADERSHIP THAT LEADS ON DOWN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.

WE ALL DEPEND ON EACH OTHER.

IF ONE PART OF THAT SYSTEM BREAKS DOWN IT CAN COST LIVES SO WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO DEPEND ON EACH OTHER WHETHER WE LIKE EACH OTHER OR NOT AND WE COME TO ACTUALLY USE THAT WORD LOVE FOR EACH OTHER.

WE DO DEPEND ON EACH OTHER ON A LEVEL THAT SUPERSEDES ANYTHING THAT I'VE EVER FELT IN MY ENTIRE LIFE AND THAT'S WHEN I GET TOGETHER WITH OTHER MILITARY MEMBERS THAT I'VE SERVED WITH OR IF I MEET ANOTHER INFANTRY GUY, RIGHT AWAY WE'RE SHAKING HANDS, HUGGING, HEY, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

WHERE HAVE I BEEN?

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT UNIQUE KINSHIP BROUGHT ABOUT THAT.

YOU CAN TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER, THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN IN COMBAT LIKE MY FELLOW VETERAN SPEAKING ABOUT CONVOYS WHERE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON OTHERS THAT KINSHIP IS BROUGHT UP TO A WHOLE OTHER FACTOR.

SO THAT STATEMENT THAT YOU TOOK OUT OF THE DOCUMENTARY IS ABSOLUTELY, 1,000% CORRECT.

YOU MAY NOT LIKE EVERYBODY, BUT WHEN YOU'RE GOING THERE YOU THAT STRUGGLE BECAUSE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON THEM AND THEY DEPEND ON YOU.

>> LEAH, JUMP IN.

>> YEAH.

I WANT TO -- I BELIEVE THE MAN WHO MADE THAT STATEMENT, I BELIEVE HE WAS A SNIPER IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN AND IN THE CONTINUATION OF THAT STATEMENT HE SAYS AND THIS SORT OF KIND OF SPEAKS TO THE IDEA OF COMING HOME, BUT HE SAYS, YOU KNOW, I MIGHT NOT WANT TO GET A BEER WITH THIS GUY OR THIS GIRL, BUT IF THEY CALLED ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND THEY NEEDED ME I WOULD BE THERE.

AND THAT, I FEEL, REALLY SPEAKS TO THIS LIKE AND THIS LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT.

>> LET ME GO BACK.

I'VE GOT ABOUT FOUR MINUTES OR SO.

WE'RE NOT REAL TIGHT, BUT I WANT TO GET ONE QUICK THING FROM EACH OF THE TWO OF YOU THAT YOU TALK ABOUT IN THE FILM AND IT HAS TO DO WITH COMMUNICATIONS BACK HOME, AND I THINK PEOPLE DON'T TRULY UNDERSTAND THAT UNLESS THEY'VE BEEN THERE.

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS WE DON'T UNDERSTAND UNLESS WE'VE BEEN THERE.

JENNY, YOU HAD A GREAT PLAN WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR MOM SENDING YOU BIRTHDAY CARDS AND JUST THIS TON OF BIRTHDAY CARDS.

TELL THAT STORY REALLY QUICK.

>> SHE SENDS 24 BIRTHDAY CARDS AND I DIDN'T RECEIVE ALL OF THEM EVEN THOUGH I TOLD HER THAT I DID BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE NUMBERS THAT WERE MISSING WERE PROBABLY CONVOYS THAT BLEW UP OR SOMEONE WAS HURT OR HARMED AND IT WAS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD RECEIVING THE BIRTHDAY CARDS FROM MY MOM AND MISSING CERTAIN NUMBERS AND KNOWING THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED TO SOMEONE TRYING TO GET THOSE CARDS TO ME.

>> CODY, YOU TALK ABOUT THE IDEA THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO COMMUNICATE BACK HOME.

THERE WAS A CONCERN, IS IT GOOD FOR MORALE TO BE GOING BACK HOME OR DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND IN YOUR OWN SITUATION, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IF YOU REACHED OUT TO YOUR WIFE, HOW DIFFICULT IT MIGHT BE FOR THE TWO OF YOU TO TALK WHEN YOU WERE OVER THERE.

EXPLAIN THAT.

>> YES, SIR.

IT FALLS IN LINE WITH THIS, WHEN YOU'RE FOCUSED IN THE HERE AND NOW AND THE DANGER OF THIS MOMENT WHEN YOU'RE IN A PLACE LIKE THAT AND THEN YOU GET SOMETHING ELSE THROWN ON TOP OF YOUR PLATE LIKE SOMETHING SIMPLE.

THE HOT WATER HEATER GOES OUT OR YOU KNOW, THE CAR BREAKS DOWN AND ME BEING A FATHER AND A HUSBAND I HEAR THAT STUFF, WHAT DO I WANT TO DO?

I WANT TO FIX IT.

I WANT TO TAKE CARE OF IT AND I DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OR THE MEANS TO TAKE CARE OF THAT, SO SOMETIMES MY WIFE WOULD NOT TELL ME THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON BACK HOME BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO PRESSURE ME ANY MORE THAN I ALREADY WAS AND THE SAME WAY WHEN I WAS OVER THERE, I DIDN'T TELL HER THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON DAY TO DAY EITHER BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO WORRY HER ANYMORE THAN SHE WAS WORRIED.

THE COMMUNICATION WAS BLOCKED BOTH WAYS AND WE LAUGH AND TALK ABOUT IT NOW BECAUSE SHE BRINGS UP THINGS LIKE OH, SUCH AND SUCH HAPPENED WHILE YOU WERE GONE.

WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME ABOUT THAT, BUT IT KIND OF HOW WE COMMUNICATED AND IT'S KIND OF HOW WE DID IT.

>> RIGHT.

>> I CAN JUMP IN REALLY QUICK?

20 SECONDS.

>> OH, CRAP.

LOOK, WE CAN TALK FOR HOURS AND AGAIN, IT'S JUST SUCH A FABULOUS FILM.

LEAH, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.

JENNY AND CODY, WE CANNOT SAY THIS ENOUGH HOW THANKFUL WE ARE FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR ALL OF US WHO ARE SITTING BACK HOME HERE SAFE WHILE YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR ALL OF US.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FROM ALL OF US.

IT'S A FABULOUS FILM.

YOU ALL BE WELL.

♪ ♪ >>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III.

SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ.

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG.

THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER.

JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD.

CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY.

JUDY AND JOSH WESTON.

DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION.