Married to the Army: Alaska on OWN

A CONVERSATION WITH CREATOR AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER STEPHANIE NOONAN DRACHKOVITCH

In a sea of non-scripted docu-dramas that often sensationalize the outrageous, the absurd and the stereotypical, there is a genuinely heroic hour currently populating the airwaves on OWN. And its name is Married to the Army: Alaska, which follows the lives of seven military wives living at Fort Richardson in Alaska and the true bonds they form as a result of the realities of Army life.

Premiering Sunday, Nov. 18 on OWN (then airing on Mondays), the eight-episode Married to the Army: Alaska, which features Army wives Lindsey Bergeron, Tessara Dunlap, Blair Flanagan, Yolanda Goins, Traci Moran, Rynn Randall and Salina Tillman, moves to Friday this week with back-to-back episodes at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., respectively. It airs on Fridays in Canada.

We had the opportunity to speak with series creator and executive producer Stephanie Noonan Drachkovitch, who founded 44 Blue Productions, about this well-intentioned and ambitious hour-long docu-series.

TV Media Insights
What made you decide to tackle this project? Where did the idea come from?

Stephanie Noonan Drachkovitch
Given my background…I grew up an Army brat myself, moving to locations like North Carolina, Berlin and Germany…I felt there was a need to tell the stories of these families and how they cope with the constant fear of deployment, the separation, and the true realities of Army life. Seeing first-hand the challenges my mother faced (who was an Army wife during the Vietnam era), I really wanted to do something to honor these courageous women. The women behind the soldiers are really the unsung heroes and no one was telling their stories. I felt like I had a responsibility to do so.

TV Media Insights
How long has this project been in the works for?

Stephanie Noonan Drachkovitch
It was no overnight project, I can tell you that. It took us five years to get the approval to shoot the series, and we are the first production company to be granted access. The Pentagon gave us unprecedented approval to goes inside the lives of these real women. And the Army wanted a true representation of the military life.

TVMI
Why the Alaska location?

Stephanie Noonan Drachkovitch
Alaska at present is home to more than 10,000 active-duty soldiers, about 7,500 of whom were deployed in Afghanistan this past year. And with a population of less than one million overall, Alaska is a community where the Army and civilians really do mix. It is as adequate representation of Army life as you are going to find, I think. And not all the people stationed up here are from Alaska, so we felt this was a fair reflection of the true Army experience. Our cast members are from all across the United States, including Texas, Virginia, Maryland and Louisiana.

TVMI
Was it difficult getting the women to participate?

Stephanie Noonan Drachkovitch
It was a bit of a challenge at times because of the reputation of some of these docu-dramas. They did not want to see their lives sensationalized for the sake of attracting an audience. I needed to convey the message of exactly what we wanted to do. And that was to tell the stories of the sisterhood and the sacrifices these women make for the men who serve our country.

TVMI
Were there any unexpected challenges along the way?

Stephanie Noonan Drachkovitch
For anyone not used to having a camera following them, it is always a period of adjustment. But as the cameras rolled, the women became more relaxed and really let their guards down, so to speak. What you see really is the realities of their lives. Two of our cast members were both on their fourth deployment; a couple were on two; and a couple on their first, and we were really able to capture the emotions involved. This is a lifestyle certainly not for everyone. You can be in one place today, and the next tomorrow. There are no guarantees.

As the Army saying goes: “The strength of a nation is in its army, the strength of an Army is its soldiers, but the strength of a soldier is the family.” And we were definitely able to capture that.

TVMI
If Married to the Army continues past this season, will the setting stay Alaska or can we expect to see a different location? Will this become a franchise of different locations?

Stephanie Noonan Drachkovitch
We have to see, of course, how responsive the audience is. And I would certainly not rule out any other locations. But there are always more stories to tell here in Alaska. It is an endless well. And it was an honor to show the lives of the women and the families behind the men who defend our country. It was long overdue.