As a civilian who often teaches for the U.S. Army (on-post at Fort Bliss, Fort Hood, Fort Campbell & Fort Gordon), the most rewarding part for me has been the feeling of ‘giving back’ a little bit (the Army rescued my mother from a concentration camp in Germany toward the end of World War II, so I probably wouldn’t be here without them!)
Maggie (Michelle Monaghan) with her young son, Paul (Oakes Fegley)
But it’s also very difficult seeing the toll the deployments take on the soldiers. On top of the injuries, diseases, and sometimes even PTSD, worst of all might be the fracturing of the marriages and family lives of many who’ve been deployed. They often survive all the battles and perils of war zones, only to return to families back home that are no longer what they had been.
(Ron Livingston) with Paul (Oakes Fegley)
The movie, Fort Bliss, captures all the above and more in a very moving and beautifully acted story. Its writer/director, Claudia Myers, created the film after interviewing hundreds of soldiers, officers, medics, and veterans who had served overseas. And adding to the authenticity, Michelle Monaghan went through medical training with the Army to prep for her lead role as a medic (it’s also rare to see female medics portrayed).
Luis (Manola Cardona)
You can find this must-see movie streaming on Netflix, and also available on iTunes.
I’m sure that, like me, you’ll wind up remembering the characters vividly, long after you’ve seen the movie, especially:
- Maggie Swann – Michelle Monaghan (you might know her from True Detective, The Bourne Supremacy, The Heartbreak Kid, and many more!)
- Richard – Ron Livingston (as Maggie’s estranged husband – Star of comedy classic Office Space, also well-known as Berger from Sex And The City, and Band of Brothers)
- Paul – Oakes Fegley – (The VERY talented young actor who plays Maggie’s son)
- Mike Swann – John Savage (playing Maggie’s father, has appeared in Salvador, The Deer Hunter, Hair, Godfather III, The Amateur, and many more)
- Alma – Emmanuelle Chriqui (Sloan from Entourage, Shut Eye, Murder In The First, and many more)
- Luis – Manola Cardona (known for Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Undertow and Rosario Tijeras)
- Staff Sergeant Malcom – Dash Mihok (Silver Linings Playbook, Ray Donovan, Grey’s Anatomy, and many more!)
- Sergeant Butcher – Gbenga Akinnagbe (Independence Day: Resurgence, Madame Secretary, and many others)
- Staff Sergeant Donovan – Pablo Schreiber (Orange Is The New Black and many other roles)
- Garver – Freddy Rodriguez (Six Feet Under, Planet Terror, Harsh Times)
Alma (Emmanuelle Chriqui)
Freddy Rodriguez as “Garver”
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE TO SEE:
1) My PMP Book: The Project Management Answer Book, 2nd Edition
The PM Answer Book, 2nd Edition
2) MY UPCOMING COURSES AT NYU SPS (Spring Semester 2017)
- PMP PREP: Sundays, April 9 – May 7
- CAPM PREP: Saturdays, March 11 – 25
- Persuasive Presentations For PMs: Thursday evenings, March 30 – May 4
- Earned Value Management: 1-Day Intensive, Saturday, February 25
- Critical Path Method: 1-Day Intensive, Saturday, April 1
- Ethics In PM: Wednesday evenings, Feb. 8 – March 15
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