At this point, we’ve all seen at least 10,000 war films, right? From the Revolutionary War to the Civil War, to countless flicks where babyfaced-actors-playing-soldiers kill Nazis and channel the spirit of the Greatest Generation, to the jungles of Vietnam where helicopters whirr to the tunes of Creedence Clearwater Revival; you name it — Hollywood has covered Black Hawk Down, Operation Desert Storm, 9/11, Iraq, Afghanistan, embassy bombings, terrorist activity, the war on drugs, the war on terror, wars on anything and everything in between.
So, how do you do something different?
Enter Brothers After War.
In 2009, director Jake Rademacher released the documentary Brothers At War. Rademacher set out to understand the experience, sacrifice and motivation of his two younger brothers, Isaac and Joe, who were serving in Iraq. He embedded with four combat units to tell the stories of the men and women who were serving and the undeniable impact it had on the loved ones they left behind. Now, 15 years later, in partnership with Executive Producer Gary Sinise and the Gary Sinise Foundation, Rademacher gives us Brothers After War. This incredible film revisits the subjects of Rademacher’s first endeavor to see what life is like on the other side of the battlefield, a decade and some change later.
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to attend the film’s red carpet Nashville premiere, where I caught up with the Rademachers and other subjects in the film, country music star John Rich, Travis Manion Foundation’s Ryan Manion, beloved actor Rudy Reyes, Veteran With a Sign’s Zachary Bell, USMC veteran Tyler Vargas-Andrews and even the man himself, Gary “Lt. Dan” Sinise.
Here’s what they’re saying about Brothers After War:
Gary Sinise, Executive Producer
“This is a very special night. This movie has been a bit in the making. The first movie was more about active duty service life. This is a veteran experience. It’s really a good movie to get people thinking. I want audience members to have a better understanding about what our veterans go through when they go off to war and when they come home from war. There’s a bit of a disconnect between the average citizen in this country. If you don’t have a connection to somebody in the military, a family member, you know, friends, if you don’t have any of that then you’re kind of disconnected from what the military does and as a result you’re going to be disconnected from what it’s like to get out of the military and into the civilian sector. That can be a challenging transition. So we want people to understand these are our veterans, these are our defenders, and we can never do enough for them as far as I’m concerned, and we want to do everything to help. I think this movie will help a lot of people.”
Jake Rademacher, Director
“This film means everything. It was 21 years of my life. The response of the first film is what’s driven us to be here tonight. For veterans, I hope they see themselves in one of the 12 stories. A veteran told me he saw Brothers After War and it made him realize he wasn’t alone; he’s not broken — it’s okay to be vulnerable. He said it gave him hope. For our family members, I hope it creates an opportunity for them to have a conversation. Maybe it gets a little easier, a wall comes down, hopefully the film does some of that for you.
“The veterans in this film get very, very real. The ancient Greeks created theater for veterans to tell the rest of society what war was like and what coming home was like. And they used to say coming home was when the war started. So what we’re doing here is we’re reclaiming that ancient tradition. We’re taking over movie theaters; that’s our modern art form. This is a film about 12 veterans telling you what it’s like. Other veterans can then piggyback on their stories. And then it gets easier and easier for those walls to come down. It’s really incredible.”
Joe Rademacher, “little” brother and film subject
“It’s important for veterans to know they’re not alone out there. Veterans are an important part of society. And if they’ve seen the first movie, Brothers At War, they realize the sacrifices they’ve given their country to take care of America. And with this movie, I want people to know the veterans are the same service members but they’re even stronger and yet we still need to help them. It’s hard for a lot of service members to transition to the civilian side and find that purpose. I hope there is more illumination on this that we can help solve.”
Danielle Rademacher, film subject (Joe’s spouse)
“As a military spouse, I understand the unseen battles that families fight—separation, reintegration struggles, and the emotional weight of service. The sacrifices of military families deserve recognition and support. Whether through community outreach, policy changes, or personal acts of kindness, we all have a role to play. Children play a vital role in this film as they, too, see and feel the same emotions we all experience. I have never witnessed anyone share the good, bad and the ugly- what you see in our movie is real. It is raw and unscripted — it’s pure emotion and it comes from a deep place in my heart where experience, understanding, fighting, despair and hope remain.
“Many people don’t realize the toll military life takes on spouses and families. Brothers After War is a powerful way to share those experiences and start meaningful conversations. Mental health struggles in military families are often overlooked. By participating, I hoped to give a voice to those who silently endure the challenges. Community and Resilience: Military families are strongest when they have support. This film highlights the importance of that network and how we can all be there for one another.”
Jen Hermanson, film subject
“This film, personally, means a step towards healing and personal growth. Up until this, I hadn’t spoken much about my time in the military and especially not about what it was like after. Participating was an emotional challenge, but one I felt was necessary. I have a strong support network, but sometimes you really do just need to hear it from others with similar experiences. That’s what this film means to me, shared experience and finding a way to keep going. Whatever that looks like for you.
“There’s definitely something for everyone in this film. I imagine it will hit differently depending on how you relate to the film. I hope everyone can learn something and gain understanding of what that transition back to civilian life can look like. And I hope empathy and kindness are involved somewhere in the process. I want individuals to take what they need from it, whether it’s healing, friendship, a sense of belonging/not feeling alone, maybe even awareness or personal insight. I want people, especially veterans, to take a look at where they are, how they are doing, really doing, and take the necessary steps for themselves.”
John Rich, country singer and film supporter
“Gary and I both have a lot of respect and admiration for those who serve and their families – the moms, the kids, when it’s the mom who serves, the dads. The family members deserve so much of our respect. I met Gary in 2008 — I played at a benefit for him and since then he’s come to things for me. We have a long-standing friendship. The things he does for veterans – it would be hard to find a bigger giant supporting the community. The United States military is the only reason that somebody hasn’t toppled us and taken everything away from us. I look at everything in my life that is good and I know it’s only possible because of a veteran. That’s why I go hard at it. I didn’t serve in the military myself, so I look for ways to serve those who have served us. To all of our active duty and our veterans in the last 20 years especially, you could have done anything and you decided to serve the United States of America. We are forever in your debt. God bless the United States of America.
Ryan Manion, President Travis Manion Foundation and film supporter
“Anytime we’re able to highlight and document our men and women who have served and their stories when they come back. That’s something you don’t see everyday and for the rest of America, it’s super important that they understand the hardships they go through and the challenges, and also the hopefulness that comes out of it. I hope audience members get that renewed sense of understanding what our military community represents. And that every day there are men and women waking up, putting on our nation’s uniform to serve and defend and protect our freedoms. It’s movies like this that remind the 99% that don’t serve of that.”
Zachary Bell, USMC veteran and film supporter
Tyler Vargas-Andrews, USMC veteran and film supporter
“I’m excited to be here. Anytime people are making films about veterans it’s a good thing. I want to tell our veterans and service members you are not alone. Keep going. Keep fighting.”
Rudy Reyes, USMC veteran and film supporter
“I love that it’s come full circle with the discussion of mental health and most specifically suicide in our community. Until we start talking about it and doing something about it and bringing people together who want to defeat it, it’s not going to change. There is just an energy in the air when this many people come together united in a cause they believe in. To be able to tell these veterans’ stories is powerful — there is so much power in storytelling. It unites us. It gives us hope. It inspires us. It reminds us in this world we are never alone. You are not alone. We are connected in service and in our stories.”
Brothers After War opens to the public on February 28, 2025, at theaters across the country. To learn more about the film or find a theater near you, visit https://brothersafterwar.com/.