Stories of Service: Honoring Our Veterans This November
Each November, we honor the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of America’s veterans, those who have served across generations, defending freedom and upholding our shared values.
OETA joins in this national recognition through a powerful month of Stories of Service programming that sheds light on the triumphs, challenges, and humanity of those who have worn the uniform.
Through documentaries, dramas, and conversations, we highlight the experiences of veterans, on the battlefield and beyond, and the communities that support them as they heal, lead, and continue to serve. Join us all month long on OETA-HD, OETA WORLD, and OETA Create for inspiring stories that remind us of the strength found in service, sacrifice, and community.
Please check the program guide for updates on dates and times.
Featured Programs This November
Wednesday, November 5th – Just Like Me: The Vietnam War/The American War
Follow Vietnam veteran Ron Osgood's quest to document stories from all sides of the war, uncovering untold personal accounts that shy away from combat and politics and instead focus on topics such as soldiers who were artists, musicians, or demonstrated empathy and respect towards the enemy. OETA WORLD
Thursday, November 6th – A Long March
Thousands of Filipino and Filipino American soldiers who went to war to defend the United States and the Philippines during World War II. Watch as three Filipino-American veterans trace their paths from war to erasure by the U.S. Government, marching from an obscured history to the Federal courts, right up to the steps of Congress. OETA WORLD
Friday, November 7th – Hunting In Wartime
Hunting in Wartime profiles Tlingit veterans from Hoonah, Alaska, who saw combat during the Vietnam War. The veterans talk about surviving trauma, relating to Vietnamese communities, readjusting to civilian life, and serving a government that systematically oppresses native people. Their stories give an important human face to the combat soldier and show the lasting effects of war on individuals, families, and communities.OETA WORLD
Friday, November 7th – Sacred Texts of War
Follow five veterans from Vietnam to Afghanistan as they courageously recount the events that led to their moral injury and how an innovative narrative therapy helped them overcome depression and suicidal thoughts. OETA WORLD
After Action
Hosted by Air Force veteran Stacy Pearsall, After Action brings viewers into authentic conversations with service members reflecting on military life, deployment, and the challenges of returning home. Across seven one-hour episodes, Pearsall leads roundtable discussions that reveal honest, unfiltered stories of transformation, resilience, and identity. The series demystifies the military experience, opens space for dialogue among veterans and their families, and preserves powerful personal narratives that might otherwise go untold, offering civilians a deeper understanding of life after action.
Veterans share candid stories about life after military service—exploring identity, purpose, and resilience in their own words.
Monday, November 10 – Return with Honor
Host Stacy Pearsall meets three former POWs who “returned with honor,” a phrase used by military personnel to signify their promise to endure hardships, preserve dignity while in captivity, and return home with integrity intact. Their stories reveal extraordinary strength and unshakable spirit.OETA WORLD
Monday, November 10 – From the Front
Host Stacy Pearsall talks with three veterans who know the meaning of leadership and its power to change lives. Military leadership shapes missions, morale and effectiveness, and can often mean the difference between success and failure, triumph and tragedy, in times of great challenge. OETA WORLD
Monday, November 10 – Homefull
Host Stacy Pearsall talks with three veterans who once faced homelessness and are now serving others in need. Through open conversations, these veterans reveal their struggles, their resilience, and their mission to support fellow veterans on the path to stability, hope and healing. OETA WORLD
Tuesday, November 11 – Boots to Badges
Host Stacy Pearsall talks with veterans who transitioned from military service to law enforcement, exchanging boots for badges. Drawn to teamwork, service and discipline, they share why veterans make up nearly 25 percent of the nation’s police force and how their training shapes the job.OETA WORLD
Tuesday, November 11 – Veteran Grown
Tuesday, November 11, 2:00 pm on OETA WORLD
Host Stacy Pearsall talks with three veterans —Kara H. Rutter, Steve Jimenez, and Davon Goodwin who have discovered the healing power of “dirt therapy.” Their shared experiences and personal stories reveal how farming can reduce stress, improve health, and provide a sense of purpose. OETA WORLD
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Tuesday, November 11 – We Were There
Host Stacy Pearsall talks with three veterans, who share stories of serving as nurses in Vietnam. Dedicated women who treated combat injuries and consoled the wounded, many faced hostile treatment upon returning home. OETA WORLD
Wednesday, November 12 – Warrior Tradition
Host Stacy Pearsall meets Native American veterans who served their country while honoring tribal traditions. For them, the warrior role represents not only courage and valor in combat, but also the duty to provide for family, protect community and preserve cultural values. OETA WORLD
Saturday, November 8th – Breaking Enigma: A World War II Game Changer
The breaking of Germany's top-secret Enigma Code at Bletchley Park in the United Kingdom was one of World War II's biggest secrets, alongside the construction of the atomic bombs. Some historians estimate that deciphering the German military code shortened the war by two years and possibly saved 14 million lives. Though the Enigma was deemed unbreakable, a British mathematician named Alan Turing spearheaded the initiative to achieve the impossible and succeeded unbeknownst to the German military. Narrated by Keith Morrison of Dateline and filmed on location in England and the United States, it tells this heroic story in detail through interviews with historians, veterans, and modern scientists. OETA WORLD, OETA-HD
Sunday, November 9th – Defying Death on the Atlantic
Four Air Force veterans rowed unassisted across the Atlantic, only to be capsized by a massive storm in a fight for survival. Narrated by William Fichtner, this hour-long documentary chronicles their courage, resilience, and unbreakable teamwork, offering an inspiring story of hope and healing for fellow veterans. OETA WORLD
Monday, November 10th – Salute to Service 2025: A Veterans Day Celebration
Country music legend Trace Adkins joins the U.S. Army Field Band to host Salute to Service 2025: A Veterans Day Celebration. Featuring unforgettable performances by opera superstar Angel Blue, jazz vocalist Kurt Elling, and Trace Adkins himself. OETA-HD
Monday, November 10th – The True Cost of Defense
An hour-long documentary that explores the continual role of servicemen and women across global communities. The program introduces viewers to Travis Mills, who lost all four limbs serving in Afghanistan and now navigates life with cutting-edge prosthetics. It also follows military recruiters working to build an all-volunteer force and visits family-focused overseas bases and small-town economies that depend on military spending. Additionally, it explores the decades-long environmental cleanup of former military installations and the expanding role of private charities in supporting veterans when government resources fall short. OETA WORLD
Tuesday, November 11th – Healing a Soldier’s Heart
Four Vietnam veterans return to the land of their battles to confront lifelong trauma and seek forgiveness from former enemies. Guided by psychotherapist Dr. Edward Tick, they embark on a transformative journey of reconciliation, healing, and self-acceptance, with profound lessons for all who have experienced the scars of war. OETA - HD, OETA WORLD
Thursday, November 13th – Final Fight: When The Trauma of War Comes Home
Over the last 20 years, the United States has lost almost five times as many active service members and veterans to suicide as were lost in the entirety of the Global War on Terrorism combat operations. A diverse group of veterans shares their struggle with either combat or sexual assault related Post Traumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury, while leading experts offer hope and answers. OETA WORLD
Saturday, November 22nd – Native Oklahoma: Vietnam Veterans
This special episode of Native Oklahoma, funded in part by a grant from the Oklahoma Humanities Council, focuses on the experiences of Native American Indian Vietnam Veterans and ways different tribes prepare servicemen and women, welcome them home from war, help them readjust to civilian life, and honor them. OETA - HD, OETA WORLD
Sunday, November 23rd – Great Escaper on Masterpiece
Follow the daring escape of Bernard Jordan, an 89-year-old WWII veteran, to attend the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings. Driven by love and the memory of fallen comrades, this true story is a tribute to heroism, healing, and remembrance. OETA - HD, OETA WORLD
Celebrating Service and Sacrifice
From the battlefields of history to the farms, classrooms, and communities of today, these programs honor veterans’ courage and illuminate their ongoing contributions to society.
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