Comcast NBCUniversal Screens DreamWorks Pictures' 'Thank You For Your Service' in Washington, DC and Philadelphia

This month, Comcast NBCUniversal was honored to host two special screenings of DreamWorks Pictures’ Thank You For Your Service. The Washington, DC event included an introspective discussion featuring Director Jason Hall, Actor Miles Teller, and Adam Schumann, the real-life veteran whose story is told in the film. In Philadelphia, U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. (Ret.) Justin Constantine joined Anna Stormer of the Philadelphia Women Veterans Center; David W. Oslin, M.D., Chief of Behavioral Health, Crescenz VA Medical Center; and Diana Rubens, Director of the Philadelphia and Wilmington Regional U.S. Veterans Affairs offices, for an important post-film panel, moderated by Patrick Murphy, former U.S. Representative and Under Secretary of the U.S. Army.

Adapted from the non-fiction novel penned by David Finkel, Thank You For Your Service follows the lives of three soldiers who return from war in Iraq and provides a profound and unvarnished view of post-war life for military service members and their families. The powerful film, and the intimate nature in which the narrative is told, reminds us of the very real issues facing those who serve in the military while transitioning home and readjusting to civilian life.

Themes of family and brotherhood, as well as values of leadership, teamwork, service and sacrifice, are at the core of Thank You For Your Service. As Adam Schumann reflected on his progress upon returning to the United States and the strong sense of brotherhood that helped him survive his day-to-day duties, director Jason Hall expounded upon the concept of "home" and its true meaning to our members of the military community.

Comcast NBCUniversal is grateful for those who serve our nation, and is proud of the thousands of members of the military community who call Comcast their home. The importance of supporting the military community is woven into the fiber of our company, starting with our company leadership. Comcast NBCUniversal leaders including founder Ralph Roberts, a World War II U.S. Navy veteran; Comcast’s Vice Chairman, Neil Smit, a former U.S. Navy SEAL; and NBCUniversal’s Vice Chairman, Ron Meyer, a Marine Corps veteran, exemplify our authentic commitment to our military community throughout the Comcast NBCUniversal family.

Comcast NBCUniversal continues to develop and strengthen our commitment to our military community through military benefits programs, partnerships with veteran-serving non-profit organizations and investment in veteran-led businesses. Our company also recognizes and values the distinctive skill-set our military hires have as a result of their service, and strives to retain our unique military hires. More than 5,500 of our employees are part of the Comcast NBCUniversal Veterans Network, a nationwide group dedicated to sustaining the success of our employees from the military community, and to spearheading volunteer initiatives in the communities we serve.

While we are proud of our commitments, we realize that there is still more work to be done. Our screenings in Philadelphia and Washington, DC convened policymakers and thought-leaders, such as U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, in an effort to spur a dialogue on meaningful reform and efforts that will help our nation’s heroes as they return home to civilian life. Comcast NBCUniversal is proud to bring stories like that of Thank You For Your Service to a national audience and to continue to develop awareness on priority issues in the military community. We hope that the film encourages individuals, organizations and our nation’s leaders to support and develop strategies and programs that benefit those who serve – while in the line of duty, and when they return home. Thank You For Your Service premieres nationwide on Friday, October 27.

If you know or are a veteran in crisis, please reach out to the 24-hour Veterans Crisis Hotline at 1-800-273-8255  or VeteransCrisisLine.net. Know that you are not alone. To learn more about Comcast NBCUniversal’s programs for Veterans and military employees visit military.comcast.com.