Seed Newsvine
Until You Walk the Path, You Don’t Know Where it Goes will be hosting Rhiannan Price Project Manager with The Mission Continues on October 24, 2010 at 5 pm eastern. We will be talking about how The Mission Continues helps Wounded Warriors as well as how other may get involved.
Rhiannan Price has been a Project Manager with The Mission Continues since September 2009 after finishing two years as a Community Development Volunteer with the United States Peace Corps in the Commonwealth of Dominica. As a Project Manager, Rhiannan coordinates volunteer activities and cultivates partnerships with corporations and organizations to strengthen our service projects. She is currently managing The Mission Continues’ partnership with Target to host 11 local service projects on Veterans Day to join veterans, active duty service-members and civilians in service to their communities.
The Mission Continues and Target are recruiting volunteers to participate in this nationwide service project on Veterans Day with the hope of not only empowering community members to serve, but also connecting them with our nation’s wounded and disabled veterans who are eager to continue serving their country.
Rhiannan comes to The Mission Continues with an extensive background in service both abroad and locally. She graduated from Xavier University in 2007 with a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and the Public and is currently attending University of Denver where she is studying for a Masters in International Human Rights. Rhiannan’s commitment to service has taken her to Ukraine, France, the Eastern Carribean and back to her native St. Louis.
Tune at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/theresachaze on October 24 at 5:00 pm eastern to to learn how The Mission Continues is helping the Wounded Warriors and how others can get involved. The phone lines and chat will be available for those who wish to participate. The phone number is (347) 324-3745. The interactive chat room is available on the show’s page
Showing posts with label wounded warrriers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wounded warrriers. Show all posts
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
From WWII to the Sandbox: The Story Behind the Warriors
I have been asked what is different or unique about Operation Home Base. Why should producers risk their money? Why would a network schedule it? Why would people make time in their busy schedules to watch it? Simple. It is about people, situations and events that the viewers can identify with. It doesn’t depend on special effects, gadgets or sexual fantasies. It’s a back to the basics of family acceptable programming that is not only entertaining, but also timely with situations that people are experiencing today.
The character are not only characters, they are individual who have personalities, flaws and unique perspectives on the world. Aging from 7 to 70, the characters cross generations, creating an accurate cross section of population today. Like most successful shows in the past, the viewers will be able to identify with the characters as grandparents, parents, siblings, children and friends Unlike many of the new shows, the characters have depth and motivation that goes beyond being sexy.
Hank Bogley is listed as MIA under questionable circumstances during Operation Desert Storm. The Army refused to answer the family’s question about his disappearance. Unable to get answers on their own or through their state representatives, Pat and Rose Bogley approached the staff of OHB for help. Using the back door contacts and by calling in old favors, Elaine and Michael with Martin’s help quickly learn that the essential details of where and when Bogley disappeared were falsified on the official records. Unable to deter the team with the usual methods of intimidation and bribery, a shill nonprofit organization called Valhalla, with Retired General Walter Hummel as the head, is set up as the carrot to tempt the founding members with unlimited funds and power, which they could use to help others. The mission is to destroy OHB from the inside out and discredit the founders.
Although General Walter Hummel is officially retired, he continues the same work, only it’s been taken off the books. Enlisting during the close of the Korea War, Hummel quickly rose in the ranks by doing what was necessary to protect his country and its secrets. He got the job done and never looked back. In Vietnam, Hummel was assigned to cover up break down in command and the illegal actions of others that caused the deaths of nearly an entire company and the vengeance on a small village that followed. His success opened doors to both promotions and power, yet he desired neither. His motivation came from love of family and country. He wanted his children to have a life better than his own and he was more than willing to do whatever was necessary to make it happen. He could be a cold blooded bastard, yet a loving and protective parent; he saw no inconsistency in ordering the death of others, while attending his son’s baseball game. When his grandson and his wife were murdered, Hummel took custody of their daughter, Tessa and circled the wagons around his family. Walter Hummel is a man the viewers will love to hate
Martin Flying Crow enlisted in the Navy to escape the abject poverty. In Vietnam, he served two tours as a medic. Although he was not officially allowed to carry weapons, he did not hesitate to defend those in his unit by whatever means necessary. It was during this time that he crossed paths with Deek. After his term of service, he quickly learned how little emotional, spiritual, and medical support there was for the military personnel, vets and wounded warriors along with their families. Working on a local level out of his garage, he gathered information, contacts, and resources, which he used to improve the lives of those affected by war. He gained national attention when he was able to talk a wounded warrior out of committing suicide
Ex-Special Ops, Deacon James Williams was nick named Deek soon after he was deployed in Vietnam the summer of 1966. Assigned Recon Intelligence, he worked closely with the Montagnard and the Vietnamese Army. Five years later, he re-emerged from his assignment and was immediately airlifted out, without any official records of his activities. As part of the financial aid agreement with the government, Williams was named as Head of OHB, officially answering only to the heads of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Pentagon. However, in the actual chain of command Deek reported directly to Hummel. Charming one minute, deadly the next, Williams is able to accomplish the seemingly impossible.
Randi Cullen-(Legal Aid) Randi Cullen grew up as Marine brat until her mother divorced her father early in her childhood. Eventually her mother remarried and moved across country, taking Randi and her brothers away from the military way of life. After the divorce, her birth father severed contact. He quickly became the elephant in the room that neither she nor her mother were willing to discuss for fear of where it would lead. Although both of her older brothers enlisted right out of high school, Cullen both loved and hated the military. She loved the discipline and the service, yet she blamed it for the loss of her father. Following her stepfather, she went to law school and joined the local Prosecutor’s Office. She was not only known for her fairness and tenacity, but her out spoken views.
Lt. Colonel Elaine Reynolds is retired regular army officer in her late 50’s, she is chief financial aid officer for OHB. Half accountant, half weasel, she has able to not only make stingy people take a crowbar to their wallet, but also make sure every buffalo shits twice before the nickel is spent. A career officer, mother of two, and a wife, Reynolds found a way to balance her career and family needs. Her husband, Larry Reynolds is a police detective. Her daughter Rachael is a junior in college; who does volunteer work for the OHB in the Red Cross office. Her son Mitchell is an active duty marine; his wife Debra and his children live with Reynolds while he is in the Sandbox.
Michael Woodsman is political appointee who knows the ins and outs of how and when to kiss ass and when to kick it, Woodsman worked his way up through the political system. His hard edge and cynicism makes him a dangerous opponent, but also a very effective Liaison for the OHB. A car accident in his late teens, permanently damaged his spine, the physical limitation is a source of great anger as well as being a profound motivator. Although he never served himself, he has great respect for those who do step up to the plate.
Lorelei Stewart started her life as an army brat who married Army. It was after his death of her husband that she learned how little support military personnel and their families actually received. Determined to use her experiences to help others, she became one of the founders of Operation Home Base. Whether it be with a wise-crack, singing a song, or with a ruler across the knuckles, she has a unique ability to defuse tense situations that could have easily become violent.
Half Potawatomi half Mexican, Master Sergeant Stella Garcia is woman in her late 30’s who planned to be a career soldier; however, the IED, which took her left leg, ended her active field duty. Emotionally, she couldn’t find the reason for her surviving when rest of her buddies were killed. Using alcohol and sex to numb the pain, she walked through life unable to feel anything. She settled into her new desk job, yet her dreams were haunted by the ghosts of her unit and the others. They asked her why she ran away from her duty--why she allowed their deaths to be in vain. Through ancient ceremonies she not only found the strength to heal and forgive herself, but also finds her new destiny. By volunteering for Mortuary duty, she became the Wind Talker who spoke for the dead and insured their wishes were fully carried out.
Debra Anne Lee (Red Cross). In her early twenties, this southern bell grew up with seven older brothers most of whom join the military. A martial arts expert in her own right, she is proud of her family heritage that can be traced back to the civil war. Her mother used to say that Debra Anne walked where fools and angels fear to tread and was kicked out for being a smart ass. More moxie and intelligence than common sense, she is willing to take on situations and people that most people run away from.
Harold Phoebus taught his son Homer Alexander to not only fly before he was able to legally drive a car, but how to make repairs with whatever parts were available. Homer joined the U.S. Air at the age of eighteen, becoming one of the youngest chopper pilots to serve in the Corps history. A career pilot and officer, he was one of the most decorated pilots of the Vietnam conflict. Though he was a hero with his men, he frequently came to conflict with command; his superiors considered him a necessary pain in the ass that represented the best and worse of the Air Corps. Refusing to send others on missions he considered too dangerous, he gained the nickname the Lone Ranger and his Jolly Green, Silver. Homer actively flew missions past the time most pilots were grounded. It wasn’t until his wife, Kim-Ly was diagnosed with cancer did he accept the promotion to Commander and the desk job that went with it. However, he spent little time polishing the seat with his ass. Instead he taught the dog-fighting and his dusting off techniques to new generations of pilots by showing them how it was down, not lecturing in a class room. More than a teacher, Homer considered every pilot he taught to be his son or daughter
Although some of the storylines will be ripped from the headlines, most will come from the back pages, while others will not have received any public attention. Not all vets are homeless. Not all vets go Rambo on small towns. Not all vets are heroes. But the one thing they all have in common is that once they have served, they are no longer the same. From those who fought in WWII, Korea and all those since then to the nurses and non-combatants, OHB will show how war affect not only those who serve, but those who love them. It will show the honor as well as the dishonor. The heroes and the villains that are created by war.
Even though, the storylines will be based around military personnel and their families, the situations will also be too familiar to civilian. From financial crisis to loss of a family member to new love and happy endings, Operation Home Base will tell the stories which will not only entertain, but make the viewers laugh and cry. OHB could be best described as a family of man drama, which will show the best and worst of the human condition. The viewers will be able to easily relate to the characters as family members, friends or the person they see in the mirror. Unlike most new shows, which either appeal to adults or children, OHB will be a drama that will appeal to the whole family.
Technorati Tags:
Graham Green, Deidre Hall, Alan Alda, MASH, family programming, Mark Harmon, Tom Selleck, Chaz Floyd Johnson, Belisarius Production, military TV series, marines, army, navel, airforce, Coast Guard, aid to military families, NCIS, JAG, military TV show, medical drama, CBS production, Sony Productions, TNT, Turner Broadcasting, Alyssa Miliano, Jerry Bruckheiner, ABC programming, Disney, CSI, NCIS cast, NCIS TV show, NCIS episode Guide, NCIS cast, NCIS Gibbs, Navy NCIS, Abby, CBS NCIS, Special Agent Gibbs, Donald Belisarius, Magnium PI, Vegas, US Marines, U.S.A Marines, Marines TV show, Department of Defense, USA Army, Army Wives, Army Rangers, Special Forces, United States Army, Army Navy surplus, new TV Pilot, shooting a TV pilot, TV pilot script, military series pilot, TV pilot productin Company, production Company, CBS, CBS programming, CBS TV, CBS, com, CBS rumor mill. NCIS ratings, NCIS Los Angeles, Medium, Ghost Whisperer, CBS TV schedule, CBS television, CBS Fall Schedule, The Unit, CBS network, USA Network, USA Network Schedule, USA NCIS, Monk, Burn Notice, USA network series, Law and Order, USA network shows, NCIS fans, Mark Harmon NCIS, Mark Harmon Bio, actor Mark Harmon, pauley perrette and mark harmon, mark harmon, universal pictures, Jeffrey Immelt, alternative programming for NCIS, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, theresa Chaze, Glan Larson Productions, Turner Productions, HBO, original series, wounded warriors, The Mission Continues, IAVA.org, Paul Peterson, Jonathan Frakes, Pentagon, Colon Powell, Chiefs of Staff
The character are not only characters, they are individual who have personalities, flaws and unique perspectives on the world. Aging from 7 to 70, the characters cross generations, creating an accurate cross section of population today. Like most successful shows in the past, the viewers will be able to identify with the characters as grandparents, parents, siblings, children and friends Unlike many of the new shows, the characters have depth and motivation that goes beyond being sexy.
Hank Bogley is listed as MIA under questionable circumstances during Operation Desert Storm. The Army refused to answer the family’s question about his disappearance. Unable to get answers on their own or through their state representatives, Pat and Rose Bogley approached the staff of OHB for help. Using the back door contacts and by calling in old favors, Elaine and Michael with Martin’s help quickly learn that the essential details of where and when Bogley disappeared were falsified on the official records. Unable to deter the team with the usual methods of intimidation and bribery, a shill nonprofit organization called Valhalla, with Retired General Walter Hummel as the head, is set up as the carrot to tempt the founding members with unlimited funds and power, which they could use to help others. The mission is to destroy OHB from the inside out and discredit the founders.
Although General Walter Hummel is officially retired, he continues the same work, only it’s been taken off the books. Enlisting during the close of the Korea War, Hummel quickly rose in the ranks by doing what was necessary to protect his country and its secrets. He got the job done and never looked back. In Vietnam, Hummel was assigned to cover up break down in command and the illegal actions of others that caused the deaths of nearly an entire company and the vengeance on a small village that followed. His success opened doors to both promotions and power, yet he desired neither. His motivation came from love of family and country. He wanted his children to have a life better than his own and he was more than willing to do whatever was necessary to make it happen. He could be a cold blooded bastard, yet a loving and protective parent; he saw no inconsistency in ordering the death of others, while attending his son’s baseball game. When his grandson and his wife were murdered, Hummel took custody of their daughter, Tessa and circled the wagons around his family. Walter Hummel is a man the viewers will love to hate
Martin Flying Crow enlisted in the Navy to escape the abject poverty. In Vietnam, he served two tours as a medic. Although he was not officially allowed to carry weapons, he did not hesitate to defend those in his unit by whatever means necessary. It was during this time that he crossed paths with Deek. After his term of service, he quickly learned how little emotional, spiritual, and medical support there was for the military personnel, vets and wounded warriors along with their families. Working on a local level out of his garage, he gathered information, contacts, and resources, which he used to improve the lives of those affected by war. He gained national attention when he was able to talk a wounded warrior out of committing suicide
Ex-Special Ops, Deacon James Williams was nick named Deek soon after he was deployed in Vietnam the summer of 1966. Assigned Recon Intelligence, he worked closely with the Montagnard and the Vietnamese Army. Five years later, he re-emerged from his assignment and was immediately airlifted out, without any official records of his activities. As part of the financial aid agreement with the government, Williams was named as Head of OHB, officially answering only to the heads of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Pentagon. However, in the actual chain of command Deek reported directly to Hummel. Charming one minute, deadly the next, Williams is able to accomplish the seemingly impossible.
Randi Cullen-(Legal Aid) Randi Cullen grew up as Marine brat until her mother divorced her father early in her childhood. Eventually her mother remarried and moved across country, taking Randi and her brothers away from the military way of life. After the divorce, her birth father severed contact. He quickly became the elephant in the room that neither she nor her mother were willing to discuss for fear of where it would lead. Although both of her older brothers enlisted right out of high school, Cullen both loved and hated the military. She loved the discipline and the service, yet she blamed it for the loss of her father. Following her stepfather, she went to law school and joined the local Prosecutor’s Office. She was not only known for her fairness and tenacity, but her out spoken views.
Lt. Colonel Elaine Reynolds is retired regular army officer in her late 50’s, she is chief financial aid officer for OHB. Half accountant, half weasel, she has able to not only make stingy people take a crowbar to their wallet, but also make sure every buffalo shits twice before the nickel is spent. A career officer, mother of two, and a wife, Reynolds found a way to balance her career and family needs. Her husband, Larry Reynolds is a police detective. Her daughter Rachael is a junior in college; who does volunteer work for the OHB in the Red Cross office. Her son Mitchell is an active duty marine; his wife Debra and his children live with Reynolds while he is in the Sandbox.
Michael Woodsman is political appointee who knows the ins and outs of how and when to kiss ass and when to kick it, Woodsman worked his way up through the political system. His hard edge and cynicism makes him a dangerous opponent, but also a very effective Liaison for the OHB. A car accident in his late teens, permanently damaged his spine, the physical limitation is a source of great anger as well as being a profound motivator. Although he never served himself, he has great respect for those who do step up to the plate.
Lorelei Stewart started her life as an army brat who married Army. It was after his death of her husband that she learned how little support military personnel and their families actually received. Determined to use her experiences to help others, she became one of the founders of Operation Home Base. Whether it be with a wise-crack, singing a song, or with a ruler across the knuckles, she has a unique ability to defuse tense situations that could have easily become violent.
Half Potawatomi half Mexican, Master Sergeant Stella Garcia is woman in her late 30’s who planned to be a career soldier; however, the IED, which took her left leg, ended her active field duty. Emotionally, she couldn’t find the reason for her surviving when rest of her buddies were killed. Using alcohol and sex to numb the pain, she walked through life unable to feel anything. She settled into her new desk job, yet her dreams were haunted by the ghosts of her unit and the others. They asked her why she ran away from her duty--why she allowed their deaths to be in vain. Through ancient ceremonies she not only found the strength to heal and forgive herself, but also finds her new destiny. By volunteering for Mortuary duty, she became the Wind Talker who spoke for the dead and insured their wishes were fully carried out.
Debra Anne Lee (Red Cross). In her early twenties, this southern bell grew up with seven older brothers most of whom join the military. A martial arts expert in her own right, she is proud of her family heritage that can be traced back to the civil war. Her mother used to say that Debra Anne walked where fools and angels fear to tread and was kicked out for being a smart ass. More moxie and intelligence than common sense, she is willing to take on situations and people that most people run away from.
Harold Phoebus taught his son Homer Alexander to not only fly before he was able to legally drive a car, but how to make repairs with whatever parts were available. Homer joined the U.S. Air at the age of eighteen, becoming one of the youngest chopper pilots to serve in the Corps history. A career pilot and officer, he was one of the most decorated pilots of the Vietnam conflict. Though he was a hero with his men, he frequently came to conflict with command; his superiors considered him a necessary pain in the ass that represented the best and worse of the Air Corps. Refusing to send others on missions he considered too dangerous, he gained the nickname the Lone Ranger and his Jolly Green, Silver. Homer actively flew missions past the time most pilots were grounded. It wasn’t until his wife, Kim-Ly was diagnosed with cancer did he accept the promotion to Commander and the desk job that went with it. However, he spent little time polishing the seat with his ass. Instead he taught the dog-fighting and his dusting off techniques to new generations of pilots by showing them how it was down, not lecturing in a class room. More than a teacher, Homer considered every pilot he taught to be his son or daughter
Although some of the storylines will be ripped from the headlines, most will come from the back pages, while others will not have received any public attention. Not all vets are homeless. Not all vets go Rambo on small towns. Not all vets are heroes. But the one thing they all have in common is that once they have served, they are no longer the same. From those who fought in WWII, Korea and all those since then to the nurses and non-combatants, OHB will show how war affect not only those who serve, but those who love them. It will show the honor as well as the dishonor. The heroes and the villains that are created by war.
Even though, the storylines will be based around military personnel and their families, the situations will also be too familiar to civilian. From financial crisis to loss of a family member to new love and happy endings, Operation Home Base will tell the stories which will not only entertain, but make the viewers laugh and cry. OHB could be best described as a family of man drama, which will show the best and worst of the human condition. The viewers will be able to easily relate to the characters as family members, friends or the person they see in the mirror. Unlike most new shows, which either appeal to adults or children, OHB will be a drama that will appeal to the whole family.
Technorati Tags:
Graham Green, Deidre Hall, Alan Alda, MASH, family programming, Mark Harmon, Tom Selleck, Chaz Floyd Johnson, Belisarius Production, military TV series, marines, army, navel, airforce, Coast Guard, aid to military families, NCIS, JAG, military TV show, medical drama, CBS production, Sony Productions, TNT, Turner Broadcasting, Alyssa Miliano, Jerry Bruckheiner, ABC programming, Disney, CSI, NCIS cast, NCIS TV show, NCIS episode Guide, NCIS cast, NCIS Gibbs, Navy NCIS, Abby, CBS NCIS, Special Agent Gibbs, Donald Belisarius, Magnium PI, Vegas, US Marines, U.S.A Marines, Marines TV show, Department of Defense, USA Army, Army Wives, Army Rangers, Special Forces, United States Army, Army Navy surplus, new TV Pilot, shooting a TV pilot, TV pilot script, military series pilot, TV pilot productin Company, production Company, CBS, CBS programming, CBS TV, CBS, com, CBS rumor mill. NCIS ratings, NCIS Los Angeles, Medium, Ghost Whisperer, CBS TV schedule, CBS television, CBS Fall Schedule, The Unit, CBS network, USA Network, USA Network Schedule, USA NCIS, Monk, Burn Notice, USA network series, Law and Order, USA network shows, NCIS fans, Mark Harmon NCIS, Mark Harmon Bio, actor Mark Harmon, pauley perrette and mark harmon, mark harmon, universal pictures, Jeffrey Immelt, alternative programming for NCIS, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, theresa Chaze, Glan Larson Productions, Turner Productions, HBO, original series, wounded warriors, The Mission Continues, IAVA.org, Paul Peterson, Jonathan Frakes, Pentagon, Colon Powell, Chiefs of Staff
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Operation Home Base: Demographics
Operation Home Base: Ensemble Cast for All Ages
In the style of MASH and NCIS, Operation Home Base has a strong ensemble cast that will appeal to a broad demographic base that includes gender, ages, and ethnicity. While MASH focused on the effects of war and NCIS concentrates on criminal situations involving military personnel, OHB will incorporate both while revealing the challenges military families face daily along with the conflicts that originate from involvement with civilians.
Although military issues and situations will act as a backdrop for the show, OHB deals with the human condition as it applies to those in and out of the military, civilians will also be able to relate to same the emotional, financial and legal challenges. From the murder of a Marine’s therapy dog to the foreclosures of the family home, the storylines will be taken from the headlines. OHB will have same divorce humor that made MASH popular for years, including long running jokes about donuts and the special benefits that Deek offered Randi to get her to join the team and how she implies the benefits are sexual because she doesn’t want to share Deek’s gourmet cooking with the rest of the team. The tension between Martin and Deek will force team to no only take sides, but push them both to the brink of self destruction.
Operation Home Base is first and foremost about people. They don’t have super powers. They don’t have fancy gadgets. Coming from all facets of life, the members of OHB have the courage to put themselves on the line to help others face and deal with the pain of separation and loss. They know how much honor costs. They have been there--done that and have the scars to prove it. Ranging in age from 8 to 70, each of the characters, as well as the actors who portray them, will bring their own unique perspective, strengths and viewer loyalty.
Written as an ensemble cast, who equally shares the spotlight, OHB will reflect the ethic diversity of the country. There will be no type casting. No matter what color of skin or cultural background, the characters will be developed into flawed, yet believable people that the viewers will not only like but also identify with.
Although his history will remain largely obscure, Walter will be the bastard you love to hate. Under the guise of providing financial and political support, Walter has been sent to destroy not only OHB, but the individual members’ credibility as well. Charming, yet deadly Walter’s total unconditional love of his great-granddaughter not only keeps him human, but in a strange way explains his actions
A full blooded Oneida, Martin Flying Crow enlisted in the Navy to escape the abject poverty of the Rez only to find the destiny his ancestors placed before him Trained by his shaman grandmother, Flying Crow has walked the Red Road from childhood. At age 13, he set out on vision quest to learn his life’s path. The Eagle Spirit showed him that he was destined to be a healer and guide others. This life was to be one of service to others. He was to teach them the way of spiritual balance. However, in order to lead others, he needed to walk the path himself. Enlisting as a combat medic in the Navy was the first step of many. In Vietnam, he served two tours as a medic. Although he was not officially allowed to carry weapons, he did not hesitate to defend those in his unit by whatever means necessary. It was during this time that he crossed paths with Deek. After his tour, he returned to the Rez. Working as Paramedic, he quickly learned how little emotional, spiritual, and medical support there was for the military personnel, vets and wounded warriors along with their families. Working on a local level out of his garage, he gathered information, contacts, and resources, which he used to improve the lives of those affected by war. He gained national attention when he was able to talk a wound warrior out of committing suicide.
Ex-Special Ops, James Williams was nicknamed Deek soon after he was deployed in Vietnam the summer of 1966. Assigned to Recon Intelligence, he worked closely with the Montagnards and the Vietnamese Army. Five years later, he re-emerged from his assignment and was immediately airlifted out, without any official records of his activities. His military records were sealed except to those with the highest clearance, he occasionally disappears for days without notice or reason. As part of the financial aid agreement with the government, Williams was named as Head of OHB, answering only to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Pentagon. Charming one minute, deadly the next, Williams is able to accomplish the seemingly impossible. A permanent bachelor, he has many love interests, yet no attachments. He sees the big pictures when it comes to his career and the military, but refuses to get caught up in the messiness of intra-personnel relationships. The "companions" who warm his bed at night are never there at dawn. Although there is a great deal of speculation about him, no one really has the courage to ask.
Classy by nature, when the situation arises, retired Army Lt. Col. Elaine Reynolds is not above low blows both physically and verbally. A career officer, mother of two, and a wife, Reynolds found a way to balance her career and family needs. However, she doesn’t know where she went wrong with her daughter Amanda, who chose the Navy instead of following her into the Army. Their good natured Army vs. Navy rivalry is always tempered by love of each other and the service. When Amanda is promoted into Naval Intelligence, she and her daughter, Izzy return to the family home to provide a secure home and care for the eight year old while Amanda is deployed.
Lorelei grew up as an Army brat and married Army. It was after his death she learned how little support military personnel and their families actually received. Although, she understood and accepted his death, her children, especially her daughter, bore a grudge against the military and the government for the loss of her father. Tensions and resentments were inflamed by Lorelei finishing her education and going to work for the government. Although she was unable to help her children accept and heal from the loss of their father, Lorelei has become part Mother Superior, part Mom and part USO entertainer to those she councils. Whether it is with a wise-crack, singing a song, or with a ruler across the knuckles, she has a unique ability to defuse tense situations that could have easily become violent. Growing up as an Army brat, she not only understands the mentality of those who choose to serve, but also the subtext of the messages behind the words. Although it is not part of her normal duties, she arranges special entertainment features for the troops. On occasion, she has participated as part of the program by singing and acting in comedy skits she helped write.
Master Sergeant Stella Garcia had planned on being a “lifer.” However, the IED that killed her team and took part of her leg send her into an emotional tailspin that nearly ended her career and her life. The sole survivor of the three vehicle convoy, she suffers from PTSD and depression. Emotionally, she couldn’t find the reason for her surviving when the rest of her buddies were killed. Using alcohol and sex to numb the pain, she walked through life unable to feel anything. She settled into her new desk job, yet her dreams were haunted by the ghosts of her unit and the others. They asked her why she ran away from her duty--why she allowed their deaths to be in vain. Instead of seeking aid, she crawls deeper in the bottle. It was only by going back to her Native American roots that she was able to emotionally deal with her survivor’s guilt and find a new purpose for her service.
When a childish prank permanently disables Michael Woodsman he is unable to follow his family’s tradition of service. Instead, he went to college. Studying Political Science, he was determined to be as much of an asset to the country off the battlefield as his father was on it. A political appointee who knows the ins and outs of how and when to kiss ass and when to kick it, Woodsman worked his way up through the political system. His hard edge and cynicism makes him a dangerous opponent, but also a very effective Liaison for the OHB.
In her early twenties, Debra Ann is southern bell who grew up with seven older brothers most of whom join the military. A martial arts expert in her own right, she is proud of her family heritage that can be traced back to the civil war. Using the immortality of youth as a shield as well as her passion and natural curiosity, she would con, charm, or connive her way to achieving her goals.
Randi Cullen grew up as Marine brat until her mother divorced her father early in her childhood. Eventually her mother remarried and moved across the country, taking Randi and her brothers away from the military way of life. After the divorce, her birth father severed all contact. He quickly became the elephant in the room that neither she nor her mother were willing to discuss for fear of where it would lead. Following her stepfather‘s footsteps, she went to law school and joined the Prosecutor’s Office. She quickly rose in the ranks, being known not only for her fairness and tenacity, but her outspoken views.
Special Agent Simon Behan grew up as a Navy brat, who jokingly claims to have an allergy to water to cover his sea sickness. Clever like Columbo, charming like Magnum, yet he is a family man that would make even Bill Cosby proud. Although originally intending to be a defense attorney, the death of a friend and a series of coincidences brought him to the attention of director of NCIS, who made him an offer he couldn’t refuse, in spite of his allergy.
However, these brief descriptions are only the starting point. As a writer and creator, it is my job not to only setting the stage but also incorporating the actor’s talents and egocentrics’ into their characters. The writer and the actor need to be the parents of the character with each contributing equally to its growth and development. Without an effective partnership, the character will be stilted and flat. Several of the characters were written with specific actors in mind.
Suggested Cast:
Deacon (Deek) Williams: Tom Selleck
Martin Flying Crow: Graham Greene
Randi Cullen: Alyssa Milano
Michael Woodsman: Drake Hogeston
Lorelei Stewart: Gloria Loring
Elaine Reynolds: Deidre Hall
Walter Hummel: Alan Alda
Simon Behan: Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Although realistically, it may not be possible to hire my dream team, each of these talented actors would bring not only their vast experience and talents to the show, but their established fan bases.
In spite of the fact of the decades of decreasing birth rate and increasing healthy longevity, most new shows consider those 25 and under as the most treasured demographic. OHB’s broader based character demographic, which actually reflect the 21st century population, will not only attract those over the age of consent, but teens and tweens as well. The successes of NCIS, CSI and Criminal Minds have proved creative story telling and strong characters are what attract viewer long term viewers and loyal fans.
The baby boomer generation was not only the largest to date, but they were also the ones who originally made television successful. They were the ones who talked their parents into at least one TV in every home. From computers to cell phones, each subsequent generation has had its own invention, which has become trade mark. Not only have the baby boomers remained completely loyal to television, but they have the most stable income base. For the first time in generations, the current generation has not financially done better than their parents. With less debt and with more stable incomes, those 35 and older are the least courted when it comes to programming and advertisers.
By deliberately casting to this demographic, OHB will follow a long line of successful series such as: Gunsmoke, Bonanza, All in the Family, Marcus Welby, MASH, China Beach, etc as well as the current favorites Criminal Minds, NCIS and CSI. An undeniable fact of life is that generations relate to their own age group and those who are older. While teens can associate to older characters as siblings, parents, grandparent in older age groups, the reverse is seldom true. A 40-something doesn’t connect with the life experiences of tweens, teens, or 20-somethings. They’ve been there and done that; they want to know what is coming up for them as they grow older instead of looking back at their youth and daydreaming about going back.
Many of the new shows titillate with T & A, but don’t really develop characters or plots. Even though each new generation wants to thinks it invented sex, there hasn’t been a new position created since the Karma Sutra. OHB will be dealing with issues and challenges of those in the military, veterans and wounded warriors along with those their families must face. Sex and relationships will be dealt with honestly and strictly within the context of the plot. The gratuitous sex and violence will be left for the James Bond movies. Although it might push the limits when it comes to the pain and tragedy of war, OHB will remain as family friendly as the nightly news cast.
Much like many successful series such as MASH, The Waltons, and Little House on the Prairie, OHB cannot be easily pigeon holed into a single category. Tears will be followed by laughter. Joy will be interlaced with pain. At different moments the labels legal, mystery, medical, war, military, police, and domestic drama could all equally apply. All encompassing, OHB could be best described as a family of man drama, which will show the best and worse of the human condition. The viewers will be able to easily relate to the characters as family members, friends or the person they see in the mirror. Unfortunately, there will be an endless supply of stories about those who currently serve as well as those who served in the past, whose truths were never told.
OHB’s contemporary and relevant storylines will sometimes spark controversy as old wounds are once again examined as a way to release the past and create a path for healing to begin.
To Learn more about Operation Home Base please visit www.theresachaze.com or email Tirgana at yahoo.com
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