The Heartland Network Honors Veterans Day with the National Television Premiere of the Critically Acclaimed Documentary, RANGER
This Veterans Day, The Heartland Network will present the national television premiere of RANGER — a special broadcast tribute sharing Sergeant David Waterhouse’s powerful true story of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Seen through the eyes of a Special Operations soldier, the film captures the trials of war and the quiet strength carried home by those who serve.
“Concerts and platitudes are fine, but what truly honors our veterans is listening — really listening — to their stories. RANGER does that with authenticity and emotional force. It strips away the noise and reveals the cost of service in human terms,” said Otto Padrón, Co-President & COO of Get After It Media and former member of the elite 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. Padrón continues, “This story hits closer to home than most projects I’ve programmed in more than 40 years in broadcasting. It’s more than a film; it’s a reflection of brotherhood, sacrifice, and the unseen cost of freedom — something I experienced firsthand in the Regiment. I’m proud to bring this film to our Heartland and Action Networks and to share it with our American viewers.”
Waterhouse, whose story anchors the documentary, said he wanted to “pull the curtain back” on some of the hard truths of military service and the challenges of coming home, “and just for a moment, give them a taste of what it must’ve been like on a daily basis there,” Waterhouse adds.
As the film reached wider audiences, Waterhouse realized it spoke not only to veterans but also to their families, friends, and loved ones. “This isn’t just my story,” he said. “It’s every single person I served with — everyone in the 75th Ranger Regiment, and every man and woman who’s gone over there and cut their teeth for this country. This is for all of us."
RANGER makes its national broadcast premiere on The Heartland Network on Tuesday, November 11, at 8 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. CT). The film will encore on The Action Channel at 9 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. CT) and stream on the It’s Real Good TV app.