Journey to Normal

"There is no 'female' or 'male' - there is 'soldier'....we are all soldiers. We all bleed green." A woman combat veteran, and mother, appears on the Oprah show and describes the difficulties of making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich after losing her arm in combat. The idea for Journey to Normal is born. DeStefano conducts research to identify po... tential issues surrounding combat veteran reintegration, and to understand how the needs of veterans in general and women in particular are currently being addressed. Producer John McDermott and Advisor Karen Gravelle join JTN and begin to brainstorm project themes. The initial framework for JTN is formalized and registered. DeStefano completes the PA Hero Walk -- 342 miles from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh in support of the Wounded Warrior Project. While home on a 2-week leave from Afghanistan, Lt. Colonel Thomas Stokes (United States Army Reserves), reads about DeStefano's walk and contacts DeStefano to offer his support and this advice: "If you want to tell the story of transition, you must come and understand what people are coming home from." DeStefano starts investigating travel to Afghanistan. Colonel Michael Kolodziej (United States Army Reserves), Lt. Colonel Stokes, and DeStefano spend 5 months navigating the complicated and stringent clearance process for DeStefano to officially embed with Task Force Medical (MED) East in North Eastern Afghanistan. With camera, combat boots and ballistic gear, DeStefano leaves the U.S. on Dec. 20, bound for Kabul. The next 3 months are spent travelling around Regional Command East meeting with and interviewing over 100 women who form the core understanding of JTN. Producer Andrew Swensen joins JTN and begins to assemble our Production Team. Cinematographer Andrew Batista and Composer Scott Anderson join JTN. Stateside interviews begin as the women veterans from Afghanistan begin to return home. The JTN organizational infrastructure is built. JTN Content Advisors, Soundman Dane Hutchinson, and Research Associate Erin Yanacek ...Read More