16 Questions for a Brother: Jake Rademacher
August 2005, Jake followed his brother to Iraq. He told the stories of those he met in his documentary Brothers at War. Now, he revisits those stories 15 years later in Brothers After War.
Who are you? What is the documentary?
I’m Jake Rademacher, the maker of Brothers at War.
I grew up in Decatur, IL, the oldest of seven kids. Growing up, I wanted to be a pilot like my grandfather in WWII, but with my poor eyesight, I knew that couldn’t happen. So I thought being a platoon leader would be great and applied to West Point. When I didn’t get the necessary medical waiver, I decided to go to Notre Dame and Trinity College Dublin. In Ireland, I discovered a love for storytelling and started acting for the first time at 20 in Dublin. At the same time, my writing earned me a slot in a prestigious cohort mentored by Sebastion Barry, now the Laureate of Ireland. After college, I started my career in Chicago, performing in over 18 theatrical productions and a film before moving to Los Angeles in 2003.
On 9/11, I knew my brothers were going to war. Isaac, a West Point Grad, headed to Afghanistan as a platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne. Joe enlisted at 17, joined Isaac in Fallujah, and became a sniper there. When they returned home, they told me the truth wasn’t making it out of Iraq. That angered me.
I interviewed Isaac the night before his third deployment in August, 2005, and captured his departure as he said goodbye to his baby daughter, Hunter. Then we interviewed Joe, and Jenny, Isaac’s wife. This became the start of Brothers at War.
I committed all my resources and worked around the clock. When networks said no, I went back to my hometown, and eighteen individuals backed up this mission to tell the story of my brothers.
Later in August of 2005, I was able to join Isaac in Mosul, Iraq, on that third deployment. I spent the next six weeks around Mosul, going out to the Syrian Border with LRS (Long Range Surveillance) Soldiers, and traveling up to Kuwait. A few months later, at the end of 2005 and the beginning of 2006, I went to the Sunni Triangle between Ramadi and Fallujah and embedded with an Infantry Company, a Sniper Team, and Marine Advisors working with the Iraqi Army. I experienced multiple combat engagements alongside these Soldiers and Marines, and that gave me a deeper understanding of them and built mutual trust. My interviews with these personnel in Iraq would start from that place and then delve deeper into the truth we were all living and witnessing.
Brothers at War also follows Isaac home at the end of his deployment, where we document real moments within our family - an experience that profoundly changed me. As the viewer, you ride shotgun on that journey, witness to the growth and evolution of the relationship between my brothers and me during the deployment and afterward.
Fifteen years later, I headed out on a new journey, to see how my brothers and ten veterans I met in Iraq are doing now, and what sense they had made of their experiences in Iraq; this became the new film, Brothers After War. I wanted to explore the ways they had changed. I wondered: did they still believe and think the same as they did in another era and season of their life?
At the beginning of Brothers After War, you see me leading more than a thousand Soldiers through a workshop built around the first film. As you watch those workshops, you witness how the film helps Service Members open up and express their own feelings.
So this new film is their story; the veteran’s story. With each veteran, there is always something unique, but there is also always something universal to explore. We had a couple hundred hours of footage from 2005-2006, so we had this incredible starting point to explore the evolution of their views over a decade and a half.
The journey went completely differently than I envisioned. A lot of that is thanks to the candor, openness, and vulnerability of the veterans. We had the chance to really engage with big ideas, themes, and emotions that our veterans encounter when they transition home from war and out of the military, both in the short term and the long term.
What was the outcome you envisioned once each documentary was released?
In Brothers at War, I hoped the film would open the public’s eyes to what was really happening on the ground in 2005-2006. Everyone was stuck in this conversation and debate from 2003. For me, I had brothers fighting on the ground. In making the film, I was so inspired by the men and women I met there that I wanted to bring those images - their heart - right into the center of the conversation. I wanted their lived concerns and troubles to be central to what we were discussing and debating.
Brothers at War was theatrically released and played in 60 cities. It did great on DVD, played on Showtime, and was then released around the world. What I didn’t expect was that service members and their families would come up to me and tell me that they just had their first real conversation about their service after watching the film together. That was the inspiration for a companion journal, which led in 2011 to a workshop. In the last 14 years, we have conducted workshops for more than 50,000 service members and their families.
By the time I made Brothers After War, I had learned the power of community: knowing you are not alone is powerful. I wanted as many as possible to experience the film on the big screen as a community, together.
I think it’s important for our fellow citizens to stay connected to our veterans. Having as many people as possible see the film will increase understanding and empathy for our veterans. I also plan on having the new film at the heart of a new seminar dedicated to veterans and their families.
Did it have the impact you hoped for?
Brothers at War had an impact far beyond what I envisioned, because it became a catalyst for communication within military families. There were people who told me it was the first step to saving marriages. In conjunction with our workshops, I learned it helped to save lives.
Brothers After War played on 150 screens across America. In many cities, veterans came together with their families and had these incredible experiences. But in some cities, the word didn’t get out. One of my disappointments for this project is that it’s never been embraced by a major studio. We have always had to fight uphill with limited resources as an independent. I know we have done very well, but I always see this vast need and wish we could get the film out to more people. I also wish that something I have devoted my life to - telling the story of these extraordinary people who volunteered - would take up more attention on the national landscape.
For the veterans and their families, both films can unlock the door to repressed feelings and thoughts. They can demonstrate how film makes tough subjects easier to talk about. For me, witnessing veterans open up about suicidal ideation is transformational. I know these films have saved lives. That’s beyond anything I could have hoped for.
Did you encounter any challenges or resistance during the production of Brothers After War (besides COVID)?
Honestly, COVID created huge obstacles. All my embeds to Africa were cancelled. We were the first production team allowed back on a military base. Think about how hard it is to be the first at anything with the government. Getting to Tunisia was nothing short of a miracle. The Defense and State Department couldn’t get it done. A local producer, Alexander Naas, went to the Tunisian Minister of Culture and got us special permission to enter the country while it was still closed to all tourism and business. Every step of that journey was insane. We were also the first production allowed back into Italy after the pandemic. My drive to get this project done is bigger than I am. And because I feel that our work is very important, I have always persevered past obstacles to get in the field to tell the story.
As you filmed for Brothers After War, did anything redirect your vision or plan? Did you let the stories dictate the production flow, or were there questions you set out to have answered?
There is truth in the old saying that “no plan survives contact with the enemy.” I told Gary Sinise that I wanted enough time in the field with each veteran to really tell their story, to go to their work, interview their family, do multiple interviews, to try to capture lightning in the bottle. He said, yes.
As I mentioned, COVID changed our trajectory. We couldn’t go to Africa as originally planned, so after Isaac left for Tunisia, we stayed in the van and headed north to begin the follow up with the veterans. I had reviewed the past footage and had a vision for where I wanted to start. Many of the first transitions you see from the past to the present were ideas I had, and I was excited to get into the field to tell those parts of the story. Does Ben stay or go? What happens to Jason as he heads off after getting hit with an IED? Jen doesn’t like working with kids and joins the military; Derreck talks about nothing being as great as coming at the earth 150 miles an hour. But from those planned starting points, I was constantly surprised, and we went with the flow.
My brother Joe threw me curve balls every step of the way. He pushed me on my concepts of the Iraq War and in his case, we went back and discovered a treasure trove of conversations we had about the war covering a period of 15 years. Going back in time shed light on the current conversation. Then, Joe opened up about almost taking his life. That changed the trajectory of the film.
So, much of the inner life that was exposed and explored in the film was spontaneous. I needed to follow that; in the end, that exposure of inner life is the most important part of the film. This became such an important driving force in the film that it caused us to allow the stories to unfold in relation to one another, even though I had originally thought we would do chronological order. Gary suggested trying something different. When I began to experiment, I found that he was right. The experience of the audience entering into each of these lives, how one chapter builds on the next, became an important element of the film.
Organically, the film changed during production and post production, because listening to the veterans’ stories demanded that we allow them to dictate where and when and how we took this journey.
Was it difficult to convince your brothers and the rest of your family to participate in either of your documentaries? What about the servicemembers and veterans?
My family, yes; the servicemembers and veterans, no. Isaac instinctively knew the need for and importance of Brothers at War. He supported it 100%. He was incredibly honest and allowed me to interview him the night before going to war. Joe went along because he was my brother. The rest of the family became supportive over time.
For Brothers After War, Joe was the one who was immediately onboard. You can see the friction we have between us as brothers on screen. But Joe knew the film would help veterans, loved the first film and wanted this movie to happen. Isaac went along because he was my brother. The rest of the family didn’t know why we were re-visiting all of this terrain. But eventually, in part thanks to Joe’s point of view, they all got onboard.
In Iraq, my brothers told me to listen to the Soldiers and to do what they say. And when I did that, you would see the Soldiers, Marines, or Airmen notice. It was as if they were thinking, “he actually listens, we got a f***ing genius here.” They would become curious about who I was, and would ask what outlet I was working for. When they learned I was there as a brother, the director and had the final cut – that was a game changer. Going out on missions with them, experiencing the same risk and hardships, that built rapport, respect, and trust. They started coming to me and telling me when they were going to have an interesting mission and inviting me to go along. As that experience grew, I found myself in increasingly dangerous places. But that’s where I needed to go.
In Brothers After War, the veterans were almost all down to do it. They loved the first film. They also appreciated what we had done with it and how it was helping other veterans transition home from deployments. The Gary Sinise Foundation funded the film with the understanding that I would create a seminar around it for veterans and their families. So, they knew that what we would explore could help others. They were generous, authentic, and vulnerable; their emotional courage really touched me.
Only one veteran didn’t want to participate because he didn’t want to revisit his demons. I tried hard but had to respect his decision. A couple others wanted to do it but were serving in units that precluded participation. In the end, I think we got the right alchemy. There is an element to verité documentary filmmaking, where you have to trust the process and let the film reveal itself to you. You can’t force it. The veteran’s story was paramount, and everything had to serve it.
Your mission begins in Brothers At War with the need to understand your brothers and their choice to serve in the Army, to bridge the gap between your civilian life and their military service. Brothers After War follows this journey into homecoming years later. You felt the divide, the gap, within your family. Did it close in the years following the first documentary?
That journey transformed our relationship. Can we ever completely close the gap? I’m not sure. But making the effort brings a great deal of understanding, community, and healing. In Brothers After War, you see me trying to close that gap again. Sometimes there is conflict and struggle, but I think that is good. It shows that this can be part of the process, but where we end up in our relationships is so valuable. Learning more about the veteran experience, the loss of identity and the search for meaning after service, made me a better brother when it came time for Isaac and Joe to take off the uniform.
Do you feel there's a similar divide amongst all Americans? If so, is it necessary to minimize the divide? How do you think we bridge the gap between civilians and service members?
I think there is a greater divide, one I think it’s vital that we narrow. It starts with listening to our veterans. Our veterans are literally dying because they feel isolated. Many feel that they made huge sacrifices, created relationships and bonds overseas; and now all of their effort, the loss of their friends, is for nothing. They need to feel heard.
On the civilian side, we need to create more understanding, which will also lead to empathy. The work is twofold, to welcome our warriors back into the tribe fully, re-incorporate them into the fabric of our society. And it is necessary to learn from our mistakes, and successes. There is a chasm between what happened on the ground and what civilians back home think happened.
Brothers After War is a step to bridging that gap. That’s why I was passionate about this film, and seeing this topic get the focus it deserves. I want to see the divide narrow and all the good that can come out of that.
Service member and veteran suicide continues to rise, and military mental health is an important topic. After Brothers at War, you created resilience workshops for service members and their families. Can you tell us a bit about that? What has been the impact on mental health that you've seen?
After the film, military couples would tell me they had their first conversation about their experience overseas. Gold Star widows and children said it gave them some closure.
Journaling was something I utilized and found helpful when I came home, so we created a companion journal for others to use. After I showed it to Gary, the next thing I knew, I was in front of 700 Soldiers just back from Iraq. After they were given a chance to journal, we went into a group discussion. In 2012, the Oklahoma National Guard reached out. They had 14 KIAs and a suicide a week before I got there. We expanded the workshop; I added short films, a companion journal specifically for family members, and four more journaling exercises. Over the years, the workshop has evolved to address more issues, and now we do seven questions in the Brothers at War workshop.
In 2017, we created a pre-deployment workshop to get in front of issues that deployments create for service members and their families. A couple of years ago we created a workshop for spouses. Dr. Melissa Wasserman, Psy.D., from Pepperdine University, led a study of our surveys and found that 98% of military families would recommend it to other families.
The Gary Sinise Foundation started sponsoring all the workshops in 2019, so that I could do more of them. I was also able to bring on three fantastic trainers, veterans with almost 60 years of military experience between them, in addition to two of them having Doctor of Social Work degrees. The Foundation told me that they would sponsor Brothers After War if I agreed to make a workshop around the new film. We actually conducted our pilot and built the new seminar before releasing Brothers After War. It’s an extraordinary experience leading one of these seminars. Veterans really open up after seeing the film and the conversations go to very deep places. People heal in real time. I’ll never forget the moment when, last November, a Sailor - a 22 year veteran - called me two days after attending and said: “The Brothers After War film and seminar saved my life.”
As I mentioned earlier, we have done our workshops for more than 50,000 service members and their families. The experience is a catharsis. It’s active, and we do the work right there in the room. The movie gets folks in touch with their emotions; journaling gives them a private place to explore and unload. The conversation allows some to put their experiences and perspectives into words, and allows others to realize they are not alone. During the conversation, we explore how participants have navigated difficult experiences. Sometimes we make suggestions for a possible next step. There’s a lot of great psycho-education that comes through during the course of the workshop. And our facilitators guide the conversation from the basis of lived experience. When a veteran opens up, it’s important that they are looking at someone who can hold space for them and handle the moment appropriately.
We have seen counselor utilization go up, and again, we have been told these films have been the first step to saving marriages, and that both workshops have saved lives.
You had the rare ability to "walk a mile" in your brothers' shoes, to have a glimpse into a kind of service many civilians will never experience. Do you think we could all benefit from a service obligation or commitment of some kind? How has your experience in combat, among service members away and at home, and subsequent reflection shaped who you are now?
Combat is a complicated experience which changes you forever.
The experience of combat and living, sleeping next to, experiencing sorrow next to service members has forever changed me. Asking questions, looking into the abyss with them, having them unpack complicated experiences - I think that’s changed me even more.
I think I came into Brothers After War a bit broken and confused myself. Helping service members heal, going on this new journey to unpack what the experience of taking off the uniform – what being a veteran is and means to the – ultimately helped me to have clarity and resolution, too. In that sense, the film healed me as well.
I think it would be great to have a mandatory service commitment to our country. In Germany, you can serve in the military or help in a nursing home or medical facility. Then your college tuition is covered. Those who have led troops, who were drafted and who volunteered, tell me they prefer volunteers. But I think an obligation in return for an opportunity can make sense – doing that could open the door to a more service oriented society.
Was there anything surprising to you as the documentary came together?
The entire experience was surprising. Sometimes it was genuinely humorous, as you see in the film. I went in with a plan, but everything changed once I got there. I followed the veterans’ experiences, and they led many conversations. Visually, I tried to marry the setting, the visuals, to the inner exploration. I think that enhanced the viewers' experience and allowed the veterans and me to go on a deeper exploration into that topic.
I was shocked by my brother’s admission of coming close to taking his own life. You see that moment in the film. Each time the people in the film opened up about suicide, it surprised me.
How has the public received the documentary? Have any memorable or significant moments stood out to you?
Seeing a rotten tomatoes score of 98% was a pleasant affirmation. Receiving standing ovations from veterans and their families has been humbling. Honestly, the conversations after the film have been revelatory. Veterans talking with wet eyes - these are moments I will never forget. They make it all worth it.
Looking back, was there anything you would have changed or added?
Overall, I am satisfied with the work. I did multiple screenings for Gary Sinise, and we did a series of screenings for veterans and civilians. During that collaboration, the film evolved, and I learned what had to go and what must stay. This process clarified and refined the film to its essence.
How have you and your family changed due to Brothers After War? Some veterans mentioned not thinking about some parts of the war until the filming of Brothers After War. What was it like for you and your brothers to relive Brothers At War? How important to you is it to reflect on these memories?
Making Brothers After War has changed Joe’s and my relationship. The deep conversations you see in the film have continued.
He allowed me to mentor him when he transitioned out of the military. I spoke with him three times a week while he was looking for a job in a new city. I told him to take a piece of paper and write down from #1 to #10 what he wanted to do most. He would have defaulted to #7, the easiest path, but ended up with #3 and got a job in Commercial Lending. He has been enjoying it and recently got promoted to a VP and Business Relationship Banker.
Isaac is strong and quiet. He’s gone through a tough time. It’s been a privilege to be a sounding board as he made sense of where to take his life next. I had told him, “Do what makes you happy.” And he has done that. He started his own business, working outdoors on heavy machines and transforming landscapes. He loves it. I couldn’t be prouder of him.
I think reflection is important. In Brothers After War, you see Isaac reflecting on Jenny’s support as he departs for a 7th deployment. When he came home, he took over the kids and ran the ROTC program at Virginia while his wife finished her degree in Nursing. Joe did something similar with his children while Danielle pursued her degree in nursing from Duke. Reflection is powerful when we use it as a catalyst to make changes and to refocus on what is really important.
For me, the reunion with these men and women, the engagement in telling their stories and building a new seminar around the more complicated issues of veteran-hood, that’s been transformative.
The most impactful moment for me came from SPC Chris MacKay (Ret.). You asked what his favorite memory was. He responded, "I think it would be this moment right here because I feel a great validation that I'm moving in the right direction, that someone would be interested in what I'm doing and where I'm going. I think it's a breath of fresh air to know that people still care what's going on." His words simultaneously broke my heart and made it whole. A theme woven throughout both documentaries was the importance of connection and community. To feel significant to others and to show others how significant they are. We are wired to belong, and I think storytelling is a way of keeping that belonging alive when pain threatens to isolate us. Stories remind us we're not alone. I wondered how you felt at that moment. You were at a loss for words. Can you share more about how you felt after hearing his words?
Chris shattered me. You wonder when you set off on the huge undertaking of making a film, especially a documentary like this one, to which I have dedicated a half decade of my life – is anybody going to care?
For him to tell me – that sitting there, being interviewed, was his favorite memory of the last fifteen years – devastating. At the same time, it became the new mission – make sure our veterans know that we still care.
Was there anything I should have asked but didn't?
I am grateful to our veterans who volunteered for the War on Terror. Many gave the better part of twenty years in service, deploying multiple times and making incredible sacrifices. I hope we can turn the tide and turn post-traumatic stress into growth. I hope they can work through the struggles of yesterday so that they can thrive tomorrow. I hope they will tell their stories so that all can learn.
To all our veterans, thank you for the freedom you have provided me and my children. I don’t take it for granted.
Brothers After War is now available to rent/buy online across all major platforms. For more information about Jake, the film, and the workshops, visit https://brothersafterwar.com/