From Service Member to SAG-AFTRA Member

On any set, on any given day of filming, there’s a good chance a U.S. military veteran is working. He or she might be a member of the cast or crew, but each has a unique and compelling story to tell, while participating in the production.

Today, however, we are focusing on the part of the account that takes place between that member’s end of service in the military and starting a career as a professional actor.

In the process, we are not going to regale you with war stories. Those are for each veteran to tell — or not to tell. Nonetheless, there are challenges veterans face moving into the civilian world, especially the entertainment universe. Fortunately, the L.A. Local Military Committee, chaired by Jane Austin, is working to assist in providing the requisite skills.

The committee often talks about the service gap a veteran must overcome, and it is especially relevant to actors. Whether the person served four or 30 years, that time was not spent making connections and booking the jobs to earn a reputation. Nor did it afford them opportunities to lay the foundation for a performing career.

Austin was invited to speak to the Los Angeles Veterans Collaborative on how to close that gap. The response to this outreach showed that organizations serving veterans all recognize the challenge. It affects veterans in all employment scenarios, but it is magnified in our profession because of the unique job skills and relationships necessary for success.

The L.A. Local Military Committee has been around for years, but was mostly concerned with the social interaction of veteran members and their families. Recently, the focus has shifted to making veterans more competitive in the business of acting. To that end, Michael Bradley, chair of the Education Subcommittee of the Military Committee, is working to curate educational opportunities. He has teamed up with Committee Vice Chair Alan Pietruszewski, and together they have been working to secure specific training for veterans to attain the skills and experience required to compete with other union-caliber performers.

Before the pandemic, there were efforts to connect with veterans in other industry unions and organizations in Hollywood. The first event was a mixer of SAG-AFTRA members and members of Veterans in Media & Entertainment (VME). It was held at the American Legion Hollywood Post 43, with better-than-expected attendance from both organizations. Plus, there were VME members who are members of SAG-AFTRA but were unaware of the Military Committee. These sorts of activities are expected to regain momentum when we resume meeting and gathering. There is particular interest in connecting with unions representing directors, writers, editors and others in the industry because networking ranks right up there in significance with skill acquisition.

Working with organizations with similar goals for veterans encourages banding together with people who will hire and work with them. The SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Local Military Committee is working to increase positive momentum for warriors wishing to transition to entertaining the nation they served to protect.

The Military Committee is actively seeking SAG-AFTRA members who are veterans. Self-identifying with the guild is necessary, and so eligible members who are interested are invited to get in touch with the committee via lamilitary@sagaftra.org.