Peter Calabrese: Independence Day: The Real Sequel

There has been a lot of talk this week around the news that, despite the fact that the sequel to director Rolan Emmerich's Sci-Fi blockbuster Independence Day, will most certainly have an outrageous budget, Will Smith, who became a megastar after his heroic role in the original, will not be in it. "He's just too expensive," Emmerich lamented. That bombshell sent Tinseltown tongues wagging about what the sequel will be without Smith. But Hollywood always knows how to survive a major set back. Therefore, my message for the rest of us is to rest easy and let's not worry about the redo of a movie. The real opportunity of the real Independence Day is the chance to reinvent ourselves.

In my last few blogs I've been telling you about our TV project, OPS-USA, whose mission is to utilize our veterans to help us out of this prolonged funk America has been in. The funk is real. It has been brought on by the economic recession that we are fighting our way out of; the record unemployment that is going down but not quickly enough; the plundering of our money, jobs and goods; the infighting among and against one another, and by the gridlocked politics that are allowing it all to happen.

The good news is that we have identified the problems and their causes that have threatened our nation for too many years. And even better news, we have real heroes we can afford who can help us save the day. Nevertheless, there is still the ever-present danger that we could lose the battle unless all of us play our part and get in the picture. Without us, no hero can fix the very real problems affecting our quality of life and that threaten the futures of our children and their children. So for just a little while, let's forget about Will Smith, and make our own movie with real heroes.

In 1776, our forefathers stood up to their oppressors. They pulled themselves into a ragtag militia and beat the most fearsome army in the world. They won because they were fighting to survive. They left us that legacy of fighting for ourselves and it's time to do it again. Our veterans know how to fight and win and we at OPS-USA believe they can lead us by their heroic examples.

Over the next four days, you're going to meet some people who agree with us about this. They'll be posting under this banner. They do not work for us, but they are engaged and they know what we're saying can only happen if we all participate. I'd like to introduce you to some real heroes.

Adam Grant is a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He has been recognized as Wharton's single-highest-rated teacher and one of the world's 40 best business professors under 40. He is also author of the NY Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, "Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success." He understands the concept of giving as a secret to getting ahead.

Colonel David W. Sutherland is the co-founder and Chairman of Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Community Services (Dixon Center) a member of the Easter Seals Military and Veterans Initiative and actively contributes to numerous national veteran and military family committees and boards. Sutherland speaks in communities at universities, businesses and conferences around the country as a vocal advocate and leader for transformational change. He is a vocal advocate for our service members, military veterans, their families, and the families of our fallen.

Greg Jarrett is a war correspondent who has a voice that is as close to what God might sound like as any I have ever heard. He has worked for ABC News in many of the country's top radio and TV markets including San Francisco, Chicago and Portland to name but three. In 1991, Greg became a war correspondent reporting from Saudi Arabia during the Persian Gulf War. In late 1992, he flew to Somalia to join the mass of media greeting U.S. troops there. In 1993, he reported from Sarajevo, where mortar fire came through the window of his hotel room. In 2003, he was an embedded with the Purple Foxes (HMM-364) U.S. Marines helicopter squadron in Iraq. He has known veterans up close and will tell you what he's learned.

Andrew Nguyen :Veteran Advocate & Social Entrepreneur, is a first generation Vietnamese-American whose parents came to America in 1975 as refuges of the Vietnam War, settled in Corsicana TX, and started a jewelry business that expanded to four locations. Andy attended SMU and started a small business of his own selling auto accessories. On Sept. 11, 2001, his career path took a turn. "I can't explain it," he said. "Standing there, watching the World Trade Center attacks and feeling helpless, I wanted to physically be a part of the solution." He joined the Marines, traveled around the world and returned as a better businessman. He says his business savvy resulted from years of service. 18 months ago, Andy started Honor Courage Commitment, Inc. a nonprofit that provides free training, mentorship and education developing vets into entrepreneurs.

It's Independence Day 2013. If we fight for it, we can be a stronger, fairer, more tolerant, more generous, less fearful and better country for the effort. Happy 4th!

This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post and OPS-USA, a television programming initiative. The series showcases a diverse team of veterans who take on nation building missions inside the USA. The OPS-USA team is the media focal point and spear tip for a virtual army of veterans and their supporters

For more information on OPS-USA, click here www.ops-usa.com or Facebook or Twitter

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Follow Peter Calabrese on Twitter: www.twitter.com/opsusa_vet

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-calabrese/independence-day---the-re_b_3519043.html

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