Posted on Oct 26, 2017
Martha Raddatz and Eric Bourquin here to discuss the new Iraq War feature: ‘The Long Road Home’ on Nat Geo. What questions do you have?
18.1K
63
47
*RP Staff will be monitoring this conversation*
MARTHA RADDATZ
Martha Raddatz is chief global affairs correspondent at ABC News and co-anchor of “This Week With George Stephanopoulos.” She has covered national security, foreign policy and politics for decades, reporting from the Pentagon, the State Department, the White House and conflict zones around the world. Raddatz is the author of “The Long Road Home—A Story of War and Family,” a highly acclaimed book about a battle in Iraq, which made both The New York Times and The Washington Post best-seller lists. The Washington Post described the work as "a masterpiece of literary non-fiction that rivals any war-related classic that has preceded it." She is also on the board of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, which supports wounded veterans and their families.
ERIC BOURQUIN
Eric Bourquin is a production consultant and a U.S. Army veteran that was Involved in the April 4, 2004 battle. Born in Dallas, he was raised all over central Texas. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in College Station, Texas, in winter 1998 and went on to train as an infantryman while completing basic training and advanced individual training at Fort Benning, Georgia. Arriving at Fort Hood, Texas, in April 2001, Bourquin went on to serve in the 1st Cavalry Division and 1st Infantry Division in various leadership positions and completed three Army combat deployments in support of the global war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq. After medically retiring in 2013 with 15 years of service, Bourquin has spent his time focusing on his wife, Leslie, and his children — healing, helping others and enjoying new experiences.
About “The Long Road Home”
From Academy Award-nominated executive producer Mike Medavoy and based on The New York Times best-selling book Martha Raddatz, National Geographic’s "The Long Road Home" relives a heroic fight for survival during the Iraq War, when the 1st Cavalry Division from Fort Hood was ferociously ambushed on April 4, 2004, in Sadr City, Baghdad — a day that came to be known as “Black Sunday.” The series cuts between the action on the ground in Iraq and that of the homefront back in Texas, where wives and families await news for 48 hellish hours, expecting the worst. Starring Michael Kelly, Jason Ritter, Kate Bosworth, Sarah Wayne Callies, Noel Fisher and Jeremy Sisto, the eight-part miniseries premieres Tuesday, November 7th at 9/8C on National Geographic.
MARTHA RADDATZ
Martha Raddatz is chief global affairs correspondent at ABC News and co-anchor of “This Week With George Stephanopoulos.” She has covered national security, foreign policy and politics for decades, reporting from the Pentagon, the State Department, the White House and conflict zones around the world. Raddatz is the author of “The Long Road Home—A Story of War and Family,” a highly acclaimed book about a battle in Iraq, which made both The New York Times and The Washington Post best-seller lists. The Washington Post described the work as "a masterpiece of literary non-fiction that rivals any war-related classic that has preceded it." She is also on the board of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, which supports wounded veterans and their families.
ERIC BOURQUIN
Eric Bourquin is a production consultant and a U.S. Army veteran that was Involved in the April 4, 2004 battle. Born in Dallas, he was raised all over central Texas. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in College Station, Texas, in winter 1998 and went on to train as an infantryman while completing basic training and advanced individual training at Fort Benning, Georgia. Arriving at Fort Hood, Texas, in April 2001, Bourquin went on to serve in the 1st Cavalry Division and 1st Infantry Division in various leadership positions and completed three Army combat deployments in support of the global war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq. After medically retiring in 2013 with 15 years of service, Bourquin has spent his time focusing on his wife, Leslie, and his children — healing, helping others and enjoying new experiences.
About “The Long Road Home”
From Academy Award-nominated executive producer Mike Medavoy and based on The New York Times best-selling book Martha Raddatz, National Geographic’s "The Long Road Home" relives a heroic fight for survival during the Iraq War, when the 1st Cavalry Division from Fort Hood was ferociously ambushed on April 4, 2004, in Sadr City, Baghdad — a day that came to be known as “Black Sunday.” The series cuts between the action on the ground in Iraq and that of the homefront back in Texas, where wives and families await news for 48 hellish hours, expecting the worst. Starring Michael Kelly, Jason Ritter, Kate Bosworth, Sarah Wayne Callies, Noel Fisher and Jeremy Sisto, the eight-part miniseries premieres Tuesday, November 7th at 9/8C on National Geographic.
Posted in these groups: 
Entertainment
Military service
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)
Military History
Q&A
Entertainment Military service Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Military History Q&A
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 17
Due to all your time in country reporting on military affairs would you or did you ever consider the military as a career - why or why not? As well can you elaborate on the F-15 combat missions?
Martha Raddatz
I was one of those people who had no idea what I wanted to do when I grew up, but the journalism track seemed to work out for me. The F-15 combat missions were intense and took years to get approval. But in the end gave me a window into how these missions work and the care that is taken that I never would have had.
So, why not a single mention of 1st Squadron 2ACR? You know, the people who had to go into Sadr City and rescue their asses after they didn’t listen to a single thing we told them?
SGT Benjamin Hayhurst
You are mentioned, they even brought soldiers from your unit out to the set to participate.
Ms. Raddatz, Over the years since the gulf war I have seen embedded reporters in many units do you think their closeness to the troops jeopardizes the safety of the unit itself or
it's members when they are being interviewed or shadowed in a war zone? I was thinking specifically of Bob Woodruff who was critically wounded himself suffering brain trauma when his vehicle hit an IED. I remember others in that vehicle that suffered similar injuries and wondered if the celebrity of a reporter along for the ride put our troops in danger unnecessarily. What are your thoughts on this?
it's members when they are being interviewed or shadowed in a war zone? I was thinking specifically of Bob Woodruff who was critically wounded himself suffering brain trauma when his vehicle hit an IED. I remember others in that vehicle that suffered similar injuries and wondered if the celebrity of a reporter along for the ride put our troops in danger unnecessarily. What are your thoughts on this?
Martha Raddatz
Bob is a very close friend of mine. He and Lee have devoted their lives to helping the wounded since his injury. I am on the board of the Bob Woodruff Foundation which has raised over 20 million dollars for our veterans. We are about to do another "Stand Up For Heroes" event in New York on November 7th with many of the soldiers and cast members from "The Long Road Home." I doubt the insurgents had any idea who Bob was or that he was in that vehicle. He was risking his life to tell the story of our military. That is an important story to tell to the American people and I think you should welcome the embeds who want to tell your story. If I had not been welcomed by the 2/5 Cav the story of Black Sunday would not be told the way it has been. Thanks for the support.
SFC Jim Ruether
Thanks Martha for your response. I wanted to thank you and Bob for the great work you are doing for the veterans in this country. When you are embedded in a unit you realize the sacrifices they make each and everyday for our country. The separation from family and the dependence on one another for their safety and general well being. I think we need to give all of our veterans, past, present and future a G.I. Health card that allows them to seek immediate and required care from their local clinics and hospitals rather than wait for the VA and its group of hospitals and clinics to see them.
*RP Staff will be monitoring this conversation*
For what purpose, RP? What could possibly cause you to make such a statement?
For what purpose, RP? What could possibly cause you to make such a statement?
Martha Raddatz: THANK YOU FOR HONORING US WITH YOUR PRESENCE, MS.RADDATZ!
I don't have any questions per se; however, IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO HAVE YOU WITH US!
-Most Sincerely, Margaret C. Higgins U.S. Army Retired: Coach/Photographer
I don't have any questions per se; however, IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO HAVE YOU WITH US!
-Most Sincerely, Margaret C. Higgins U.S. Army Retired: Coach/Photographer
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google