IN A TIME OF WAR AND TENSION, the reality show has become America’s great escape–a vicarious adventure into others’ quest for fame and fortune. Shows like “Joe Millionaire,” “American Idol,” “Married by America,” and “The Bachelor” appeal to the most banal human desires by parading a tawdry crop of exhibitionists on weekly jaunts through America’s living rooms.
But a new reality show breaks that mold and actually serves a valuable purpose by educating America while it entertains. There’s no quest for fame by the participants in this show. In fact, several of those in it would rather not reveal their names–because doing so could get them killed.
These men and women are from ABC’s new reality show Profiles From the Front Line (8:00 p.m. EST, Thursdays, on ABC). They are playing the real “Survivor,” living the real “Fear Factor” each and every day as they wage the war on terrorism in the dusty crags of Afghanistan or on the wind-swept decks of Navy ships patrolling the waters of the Arabian Sea. Producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Bertram van Munster enlisted the support of the Pentagon to obtain up-close access to troops not seen since Vietnam.
Captain Chris Cirino, a company commander with the 82nd Airborne, comes across about as “Mom and Apple Pie” as you can get. Corporal Peter Sarvis, a stockbroker from New York, volunteered to go to Bagram Air Base with his Army Reserve unit to be a “hot-refueler” shortly after September 11. And there’s Master Chief Petty Officer John “Champ” Killen, an F-14 fighter jet mechanic on the USS John F. Kennedy. Killen’s unbounded enthusiasm for his job comes across like a live recruiting poster. Their jobs are pretty low on the Rambo scale–but they’re doing valuable work and they deserve the exposure.
But while such profiles are compelling, it’s the coverage of the men from the 3rd Special Forces Group that takes “Profiles From the Front Line” to a new level. The profiles of Master Sgt. Mark, Staff Sgt. Mike, and Staff Sgt. Drew not only show the intelligence, training, and moral fiber of our most elite troops, but also offer a glimpse at the risky tasks of capturing Taliban and al Qaeda functionaries and confiscating arms caches in remote villages.
In the first episode, the three commandos get stuck in traffic in the town of Orgun in eastern Afghanistan on their way to a local warlord’s compound. Boxed in, the three lone soldiers mutter about their vulnerable predicament.
“I don’t like this at all,” says Staff Sgt. Drew as he clutches an M-4 carbine in his lap.
“One grenade and our goose is cooked,” Staff Sgt. Mike adds.
Quickly, the special forces soldiers hop out of their pickup truck and cajole the crowd to let them pass–three American soldiers, and one intrepid cameraman, in a sea of potentially hostile Afghans where things could have gone very wrong in an instant.
Fortunately, nothing went awry. But these warriors do the job day after day, maintaining a delicate balance of politeness and respect with forcefulness and cunning–all at tremendous risk to themselves.
Some critics have complained that “Profiles” is too patriotic, that it isn’t reality so much as propaganda. A review in Newsweek claimed the show “makes little effort to hide its pro-military bias” and harrumphed that there was no footage of friendly-fire casualties. Let me say from personal experience that while the producers do romanticize some of the support jobs, the men and women portrayed in the show are real. They’re not acting. I’ve met people like Senior Chief Killen and Capt. Cirino; and they are not the exception to the rule.
These are the men and women who defend our country and risk their lives every day on the front lines with few complaints. They didn’t do it because there’s a million bucks at the end of the show and they didn’t do it for fame. They did it because of patriotism, a sense of duty, and, for some of them, because it’s fun.
So tonight at 8:00 p.m. EST, tune in to ABC’s reality series “Profiles From the Front Line.” It’s a refreshing break from the over-sexed fame-hounds that populate the other reality shows. And, what’s more, you just might gain a whole new respect for those who serve in the military and for how America is fighting–and winning–the war on terrorism.
Christian Lowe is a staff writer for Army Times Publishing and a contributing writer to The Daily Standard.
