by If you’ve been around this site over the years, then you’ve seen me write about how the Wounded Warriors Project found success in teaching American military veterans to use humor to work through their wartime tragedies.
Now comes VET TV. Veteran Television, a streaming subscription platform started in 2017 by retired Marine Captain Donny O’Malley. launched a new documentary series last week called Veterans Laughing Together.
This eight-week series showcases eight Purple Heart recipients, one each Wednesday.
“This is a first-of-its-kind show with eight amazing Purple Heart recipients,” O’Malley said. “They’ve been hit, they’ve been traumatized and they’ve seen and experienced all of the worst that war has to offer, yet because of the level of trust they have in us, they tell their stories to our audience in a way that very few people ever get to see or hear. You’ll hear about the physical trauma they all experienced in combat, and the injustices that followed. They experienced the worst of it, yet they have this unbelievable sense of irreverence and they’re still able to laugh about it all, and that’s why we chose them.”
The series premiered last week with Marine Corps Corporal Paul Gardner, who recounts how he suffered paralyzing spinal cord injuries during an Iraqi firefight in 2003.
Other episodes showcase Army Sergeant First Class Joseph James, W-2 Army Special Forces Operator Nathan Smith, E-3 HN Navy FMF Corpsman Shane Edmaiston, Army Staff Sergeant Vanessa Brown, Army Staff Sergeant Robert Waples, Marine Corps Lance Corporal Anson Roberts, and Vietnam War veteran and Marine Corps Lance Corporal Sean Dillion.
