Cold War Veterans Blog

DISCOVERY TIMES CHANNEL DOCUMENTARY:

12/5/2006

In November 2006, more than 50 veterans of the U.S. armed forces from around the country were vying for seats in Congress. At no other time in history have so many veterans run for national office at the same time. The award-winning filmmaking team of Brent and Craig Renaud (OFF TO WAR) follow five of these veterans as they criss-cross their districts asking constituents for their vote.

TAKING THE HILL tells the story of a group of veterans, most with no prior political experience or aspirations, who have chosen political action as a means to further answer the call of service to their country. The two-hour world premiere of TAKING THE HILL will air on the Discovery Times Channel on December 12, 2006 at 9:00 PM ET/PT.

Beginning in February 2006, when U.S. Army veteran Mike Lyon brought together the veteran candidates in Washington, D.C.,in a loose coalition called the Band of Brothers 2006, the Renaud brothers have followed the candidates as they travel throughout their home states: Illinois, Kentucky, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas. Although most of the veterans considered themselves politically independent or in some cases Republican, during their active military careers, they have come together this year to run as Democrats. From Eric Massa, a retired Navy commander in rural New York State; to Rick Bolanos, a Purple Heart recipient in Vietnam; to Tammy Duckworth, an Army captain who lost both her legs when a grenade hit her helicopter in Iraq, this documentary will follow the stories of these veterans as they head into their respective political battles.

Having spent much of their working lives in the military, these veterans do not have personal wealth to fund their campaigns, nor do they have the political connections it takes to easily raise the vast amounts of money necessary to compete politically at the national level. TAKING THE HILL is about a group of outsiders fighting political battles and motivated by a desire to serve their country -- not by going to war this time, but by going to Washington. TAKING THE HILL is produced by Downtown Community Television (DCTV) for the Discovery Times Channel. Brent Renaud and Craig Renaud direct and produce for DCTV. Diana Sperrazza is executive producer for the Discovery Times Channel; Jon Alpert is executive producer for DCTV. {Source: George Weber, 29 Nov 06]