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‘Brothers After War’: An Interview With Gary Sinise & Jake Rademacher | 3.1.25 - Morning Wire | Wave AI Podcast Notes

‘Brothers After War’: An Interview With Gary Sinise & Jake Rademacher | 3.1.25

Sat Mar 01 2025

A new film by Gary Sinese and Jake Rademacher takes an unflinching and personal look at the struggles and triumphs of US soldiers and veterans returning home from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. To see the film please use the following link: https://tickets.brothersafterwar.com/ For free tickets for Veterans: https://brothersafterwar.com/free-tickets-vettix/

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary: ‘Brothers After War’ – An Interview With Gary Sinise & Jake Rademacher | 3.1.25

Release Date: March 1, 2025

Introduction

In this compelling episode of Morning Wire, hosts John Bickley and Georgia Howe engage in an insightful conversation with Executive Producer Gary Sinise and Director Jake Rademacher about their latest documentary, "Brothers After War." This film serves as a sequel to their previous work, "Brothers at War," delving deeper into the lives of U.S. soldiers transitioning back to civilian life after their service in Iraq and Afghanistan. The discussion highlights the film's inception, its profound impact on veterans, and the ongoing efforts to support America's servicemen and women.

Origins and Evolution of the Documentary

Jake Rademacher initiates the conversation by sharing the personal motivation behind creating the original "Brothers at War" and its sequel. He explains how the untold struggles of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan compelled him to document their journeys.

[00:03] Jake Rademacher: "Returning from war and re-entering civilian life can be the hardest part of military service, particularly after wars mired in controversy like Iraq and Afghanistan."

Bickley inquires about the genesis of the documentaries, to which Jake recounts his initial drive to tell his brothers' stories and his subsequent immersive experiences in war zones. He emphasizes the depth of commitment required to authentically portray soldiers' lives.

[01:27] Jake Rademacher: "I went back to Iraq and embedded in Isaac's unit... I spent about six weeks over on that second trip. I went out six days a week and got into a decent amount of combat."

Gary Sinise elaborates on his role and the alignment of the film's mission with his foundation's goals. He underscores the importance of supporting service members and using his platform to highlight their sacrifices.

[04:59] Gary Sinise: "It was perfectly aligned with the messages that I was trying to get out to the American people about what our service members and military families were going through."

Collaborative Efforts and Production Insights

The collaboration between Jake and Gary has been pivotal in shaping both films. Jake details how a chance encounter and Gary's genuine response to "Brothers at War" led to a lasting partnership aimed at honoring and supporting veterans.

[03:00] Jake Rademacher: "Gary was the first one to support it. Eventually, I got an opportunity to talk to his foundation about it. They fell in love with the idea as well."

Gary reminisces about the emotional impact of the first film and the subsequent workshops that facilitated deeper connections with service members.

[06:55] Gary Sinise: "Brothers After War... speaks to that question of what it is like for our service members to come home and what can we do to support them."

Workshops and Their Impact

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the workshops associated with the film. Jake explains how these sessions have provided a safe space for veterans to share their experiences, fostering healing and camaraderie.

[09:44] Jake Rademacher: "We play the original film and then have a Q&A session where Marines discuss what they related to in the film. It makes tough subjects easier to talk about."

He shares a poignant moment from the film where a soldier confronts his emotions, illustrating the film's role in prompting meaningful dialogue.

[14:30] Jake Rademacher: "Gunner's on one knee... he starts to cry, and he gets real... it's an invitation for anyone who's been in that hard moment to reexamine and heal."

Gary highlights the foundation's commitment to expanding these workshops, ensuring that they continue to provide essential support to veterans and their families.

[16:29] Gary Sinise: "We provide all kinds of services... Brothers After War is part of our wellness program... We want them to move on in a positive way."

Addressing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

The episode delves into the critical issue of mental health among veterans. Jake shares alarming statistics about suicide rates but emphasizes the film's focus on resilience and recovery rather than portraying a bleak narrative.

[15:44] John Bickley: "You mentioned shocking statistics on suicide, but there's also a lot of victory... these heroes are finding ways to thrive."

Gary echoes this sentiment, drawing parallels to the uplifting conclusion of Forrest Gump and advocating for a hopeful outlook for all veterans.

[16:29] Gary Sinise: "We want them to be okay. We want them to move on. That's the story we want for every single person who serves."

Distribution and Future Plans

The conversation shifts to the film's distribution, with Jake and Gary sharing details on where audiences can view "Brothers After War." They highlight the partnership with Regal Cinemas and the Gary Sinise Foundation's efforts to make the film accessible to veterans through free screenings.

[19:24] Gary Sinise: "You can find theaters near you at brothersafterwar.com... Regal Cinemas has been outstanding in supporting us."

Jake adds that the foundation has allocated funds to Vet Tix to ensure veterans can attend screenings without financial barriers.

[20:08] Jake Rademacher: "We want veterans to go to the movie theater and experience this as a group together."

Both guests express excitement about the film's positive reception and its potential to continue making a difference in the lives of veterans.

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with heartfelt thanks to Gary Sinise and Jake Rademacher for their dedication to bringing these vital stories to the forefront. Their collaboration exemplifies a powerful alliance aimed at honoring veterans, fostering understanding, and promoting healing through the medium of film.

[22:25] Gary Sinise: "Thank you, John."

[22:26] Jake Rademacher: "Thank you, John, so much."

Final Thoughts

Morning Wire successfully presents an in-depth exploration of "Brothers After War," shedding light on the profound challenges faced by returning soldiers and the impactful work being done to support them. Through authentic storytelling and dedicated support systems, Gary Sinise and Jake Rademacher are paving the way for meaningful change and recognition of America's heroes.

For more information or to watch the film, visit brothersafterwar.com or the Gary Sinise Foundation's website at garysinisefoundation.org.

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Transcript

Jake Rademacher (0:03)

Returning from war and re entering civilian life can be the hardest part of military service, particularly after wars mired in controversy like Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet that part of a soldier's story often goes untold. A new film produced by Gary Sinise and directed by Jake Rademacher takes an unflinching and personal look at the struggles and triumphs of US Soldiers returning home from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

John Bickley (0:29)

In this episode, we sit down with Sinise and Radha Machar to discuss the making of their new film and how it folds into their larger mission of supporting and honoring America's bravest. I'm Daily Wire Editor in Chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Saturday, March 1st, and this is a weekend edition of Morning Wire. Joining us now to discuss their new film, Brothers After War, is executive producer Gary Sinise and director Jake Rademacher. First of all, gentlemen, thank you so much for joining us.

Jake Rademacher (0:59)

Thank you for having us.

Gary Sinise (1:00)

Yeah, thank you, John. Good to be with you.

John Bickley (1:02)

You know, I wanted to say Georgia and I had a truly remarkable time at the premiere here in Nashville earlier this week, and we came away with a lot of questions we wanted to ask you first, Jake, this is a sequel, in effect, for those who maybe haven't had the opportunity to see the film that preceded this one, Brothers at War. You've been documenting this group of men, your brothers and more, for decades now. How did these documentaries come about?

Jake Rademacher (1:27)

You know, the first one came because my brothers Joe and Isaac told me that the truth was not coming home from Iraq. And this was 2004. They were at the 82nd Airborne. They were in combat. Joe was a sniper with the 82nd Airborne, 18 years old. Isaac was a captain, infantry officer, doing civil relations. And as a family member, as a brother, that pissed me off. So I went back to my hometown, I raised some money and, and I got myself over to Iraq and I embedded in Isaac's unit and he let me film everything. I got out to the Syrian border with his guys. Eventually, the film follows him home. He predicts his daughter won't recognize him. She doesn't. That's all in the first film and the second. Yeah. And then I went back to Iraq a second time. My youngest brother's kind of a hard ass, Joe, to put it bluntly. Gary's probably laughing, but he gives me a hard time when he's 19. And then 15 years later in Brothers After War. But he said, you didn't see enough. You don't know. So I went back to Iraq. I went to The Sunni Triangle. I embedded with the National Guard Infantry Company sniper team, the Iraqi army and Marine advisors working with them. And I spent about six weeks over on that second trip. I went out six days a week and I got into a decent amount of combat and saw kind of the tougher, harder part of war. And all of that became Brothers at War. I was asked to go to Iraq a third time to screen it for General Petraeus Public affairs folks. And while I was over there, a Marine colonel, a really lovely lady said with tears in her eyes, you have to share this with Gary Sinise. Now, I, as a first time filmmaker who grew up in Chicago in the beginning of my career and always have looked up and admired Gary, said, do you have a cell phone number? Because we're not all drinking at the same cantina back there in la. And she said, no. But I shared this story with a friend of ours, Michael Broderick. And Michael said, I know Gary and I think he'd love your film. And one thing led to another and Gary graciously created a couple hours on his schedule. He was shooting CSI New York. And I went over to CBS two days before Thanksgiving in 2007 and it was Gary Sinise, myself and Norman Powell. We watched Brothers at War. And I'll never forget it. You know, Gary was very moved at the end of the film. He just sat there like in silence for two or three minutes and I just let him sit in it. And then he said, it's a very important film, Jake, it's a very important film. And then Gary, as Gary does, he kind of started telling me what to do. So, and it was all good ideas and you know, it's like one of your heroes giving you advice, you're going to take it. And so eventually we said, let's make this official. And I asked him to be executive producer of the film. And that was, you know, in 2007. And he's been by our side ever since. And the workshops that have come out of that have been sort of a collaboration. I'll come up with an idea, bring it to Gary for his thoughts, and next thing I know I'm in front of, you know, 700 soldiers back from Iraq. And this new film also came out of that continuing collaboration, the conversations that we had. And so then we kind of came together and said, let's make this film. And Gary was the first one to support it. Eventually I got an opportunity to talk to his foundation about it. They fell in love with the idea as well. And then in 2019 I set off across the world, four continents, to follow up with my two brothers and then 10 friends I made in Iraq to make Brothers After War.

Jake Rademacher (10:41)

Yeah, I go on a construction site with Ben. Like, I want to show the audience these are, you know, these are for the most part, highly functioning people, but they are still carrying some of the invisible wounds of war. They still have some work to do. And I'll show their vulnerability, but I also want to show their strength. And so I have to say that Gary also felt strongly about that. And as I finished the film and then got through the process of recutting it, it was frankly some of his insistence, you know, some of the humor that's in the film. Gary was like, hey, did you. Did anything funny happen? I'm like, yeah, mostly at my expense. So we started putting some of that back in the movie so that we could give audiences the chance to laugh alongside us, but then also feel alongside us and then also have some of that solution. Your question about the workshops is very astute. What was special was I was. I was there with them. I chewed dirt with them. I spent three months, I lived with them. I came in with Final Cut as a filmmaker wanting to really understand them and where they're coming from. So I had incredible access. I followed that up with walking with our service members for 14 years as they came home from war. When Oklahoma, where I am now, lost 14 soldiers in combat and a few to suicide, they called me and said, can you come? And I came and we built the workshop to what it is today. We expanded it to help, you know, help them deal with the loss of their friends. We wrote a workbook for family members. And so the reason why that's important, you know, the 21 Marines, when they lost 11 guys recently, we, you know, with the help of the Gary Sneeze foundation, we went there and did a workshop and we play the original film. And then we first part. What part of the film do you relate to? And then I've got 18, 19, 20 year old Marines for 45 minutes talking about what they related to in the film. And that's the power of the movie. It makes tough Subjects easier to talk about. Well, this filmmaker was in the war zone, spends a decade working with veterans, helping them walk through the trauma of war and then turn that into post traumatic growth so they can thrive. And his directions from the studio head, Gary, are I want to know how they're doing and what they need. So when I say in the beginning of the film, I want to know how they're doing, how they're really doing, I mean it. And you'll see that in the film, I push them sometimes. That moment when we reexamine Gunner and his first response is, not in the film. I asked him about that response where he's in combat, there's bullets going across the lens of my camera. Then I come upon one of the saddest things I've ever seen in my life, which is these wounded Iraqi soldiers that were just patrolling their own country. And now one's got his leg busted up, the other one's got a jaw messed up. And Gunner's on one knee caressing the face of a wounded Iraqi soldier. Right? This is like a warrior. This is. This is like a warrior's warrior, all right? And I'm filming it, I see him do this, and I'm in the midst of all this horror. There's this moment of grace on earth. And I ask him about it and he kind of goes, yeah, yeah, the bullets were flying. La, la, la. And I go, gunner, I was there and it was grace on earth. And I pushed in my camera to get a close up because it just. I just. It was the most important thing happening right there. And he stops and he looks down and he starts to cry, and he gets real and he says, it's because that's your. It's an intimate connection you have with another man. And it hurts. He was my soldier. And that is the reality of the film that I have, that I was there first of all. But I know from doing our seminars that it's okay for me to ask that question and ask them to take a step further into the experience. And it's. He's gonna have to feel it a little bit to heal it. And so he opens up and starts talking about that. So that's an invitation for anybody that's been in that hard moment of combat to reexamine that and watch somebody else walk through it. Two months after I was there, David reached out to me and he said, jake, thank you for coming. It really helped. And on Friday night, David is gonna do a Q and A, and We've invited the 2nd Marine Division, where He used to be the division gunner to come and listen to him do a Q and A. So now, if you take this all the way through the life cycle in 2005, six, I'm there with him in combat. He was the one who was in the crossfire. He's the reason we went out there. Now. He hasn't totally walked through his own trauma. We make the film, which becomes an opportunity for him to really look at some of these moments. He's sort of buried a little bit. He heals from that. And now he's using the film to model that for other Marines and to help them understand, hey, guys, when you're in a war zone, not necessarily the time to talk about your feelings. However, when you come home, the more you talk about it, the more you make sense of it, the more you open up to your family or friends, the easier it's going to be for you to transition to the next part of your life.

Gary Sinise (16:29)

Yeah. We provide all kinds of services at the Erie Sinise foundation to just keep people whole. Certainly have been a lot of broken people over the years, you know, with the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the difficulty there and 20 years of sacrifice and the Taliban taking back the country and young girls going back into slavery after that. You have a lot of veterans that served there that were really struggling with that quite a bit and have been, and we continue to provide multiple services on many fronts to try to help them and their families. Brothers After War is part of our wellness program at the Gary Sinise Foundation. Like Jake said, he'll be doing workshops with both movies. Me will be doing workshops for active duty and it will be doing workshops with Brothers After War for veterans. And we've had to expand that. I said to him at one point, jake, you know what? You want to expand this program, but you can't do it all by yourself. So we have to have additional counselors and additional trainers, people that can really train folks in giving them the tools that we're trying to give them to move on with their lives. It's all about moving on in a positive way. I had this conversation with Jake many times when I played Lieutenant Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump. The good thing about that story is that it's a happy ending at the end, right? You've got a guy who goes off to war. He's serving during a time of conflict in our own country about whether he should have even been in the war or not. He has to isolate. He drowns himself in alcohol and disappears. But then, thankfully, at the end of that story, he's standing up again, he's making peace, and he's moving on. And that's the story that we want for every single person who goes and serves in the military and comes home from war and defends our country. We want them to be okay. We want them to move on. A lot of them are struggling. So we try to provide as many wellness programs at the Gary Sinise foundation as possible to support them. And if we don't have those programs, we try to point them in the right direction. Jake and his films are a part of our relief and resiliency efforts at the Gary Sinise foundation to make sure that if you go off to war, you go to serve your country, that there is a grateful nation out there and that we appreciate what you've been doing for us and that we're going to back you up.