Emily Ackerman and I began interviewing servicemen three years ago. We met and listened to many extraordinary people who took great risk, both personally and professionally, to talk to us. Getting a glimpse into what national service means has had a huge impact on both of us. The hardest part of the creative process was deciding which stories to tell, and which would not be included. These were very tough decisions. 

For guidance through this process, Emily and I created a few rules: First, if our audience could easily find the material in the news, we didn’t need it in our play. Next, we decided to go deep, rather than wide, so if we couldn’t do a subject full justice and discuss all aspects, it wasn’t fair to include a superficial treatment. An example is the issue of Veteran’s benefits, which is a complex and complicated subject that we felt deserved its own play.  We decided about halfway through our interviewing phase to concentrate on the Marine Corps. Through a stroke of good luck, we were able to spend time at Camp Pendleton and decided that the culture and core values of the Marine Corps provided an interesting lens through which to look at the issue of coming back from deployment and re-entering one’s life, family and society.  

The Marines we encountered all have very different perspectives, different experiences and realities, and this play is in no way meant to represent them all. It is not our intention to make any blanket statements about the Marine Corps. There are as many truths, opinions, and experiences as there are brave and dedicated people serving, and we would not suggest that the few characters you hear from tonight represent the whole.

To those who welcomed us into their homes and their lives, a heartfelt and sincere thank you. You have taught us how to see, listen, and understand. Your names are not listed in this program’s ‘special thanks’, to respect your confidentiality, but we hope you know how truly grateful we are. We honor your commitment, dedication and sacrifice.  

KJ Sanchez