Lifetime Salutes Veterans in "A Welcome Home Christmas"

Jana Kramer One Tree Hill stars as Chloe Marquee an Army veteran who helps other vets transition to civilian life She canamp8217t help but help and volunteers for every good cause determined to do all she can for the veteransamp8217 community Naturally the Christmas movie formula is followed romance blossoms winter treats are consumed and peopleamp8217s better natures shine Along those lines Chloe falls for Michael Brandon Quinn The Fosters a returning vet trying to muscle through tough times alone Chloeamp8217s mom Lynn Charlene Tilton Dallas is the wacky relative whose goal is to win the townamp8217s hot chocolate contest And itamp8217s always pleasant to see Tim Reid WKRP in Cincinnati While thereamp8217s a scene about his characteramp8217s name Peter Oamp8217Toole itamp8217s worth remembering that he became famous playing another character with a great name Venus FlytrapGeneral Oamp8217Toole is an officer and a gentleman If another character in the movie Colonel Doug Cole amp8211 played by Craig Morganpictured at top and below also strikes viewers as both thereamp8217s good reason Heamp8217s the real deal Morgan served in the Army all over the world for 17 years His voice may be more familiar than his face unless youamp8217re a country music fan Yet Morgan is starting to rack up acting credits this is his fifth following a dozen albums including his latest God Family CountryquotThe entire concept is right in my veinquot Morgan said of the movie during an exclusive interview with MediaVillage quotI didnamp8217t have to act the character itself It is very much in line with my lifestylequotI like actingquot he added quotIn light of everything that39s going on with the pandemic it39s good for me to stay busyquotHis character is Chloe39s boss and it39s his responsibility to help returning soldiers find a path receive services and get whatever they need to make it As the movie reveals often veterans who have reason to pride themselves on solving problems are not the sort of folks who seek help In many cases what they need most is a jobMorgan hopes viewers will take that message and others from the movie quotAfter their service they are a community of people that can be very reliable and appreciated in the workforce due to their experience gained in the military that the average civilian does not havequot he explainedquotIt was easy for me to identify with the people in the movie Even though I am a civilian now I still participate in a lot Itamp8217s a big part of our life my familyamp8217s lifequotHe also served as a military consultant on the film While itamp8217s not trying to be a documentary making the movie believable was important Army soldiers from the Tennessee National Guard are extras and the Army provided Humvees tactical trucks and a Blackhawk helicopter quotMy job was to ensure they were properly dressed and doing things within military regulationsquot Morgan said quotThey werenamp8217t supposed to wear headgear in the building little things like thatquotThe SpringfieldRobertson County Airport in Robertson County Tennessee was converted to the fictional Fort Vasquez for the movie Like just about every production this year COVID was an issue When a crew member tested positive production stopped for 10 days Then as they do in the military people got on with their jobsOne of the plot points has the annual toy drive for veteransamp8217 children at risk because of budget cuts As the film points out this is the one gift many children of deployed military personnel receive It39s a predicament Morgan has been thinking about aside from the film At his business Morgan Farms in Dickson Tennessee they conduct an annual toy drive quotThis year we canamp8217t have people drop off presentsquot he explained quotWeamp8217ll have people drop off money and then Childrenamp8217s Services and my family will get everything on childrenamp8217s listsquotIn A Welcome Home Christmas a wellknown man shows up to help with the toy drive Corny as it may seem the real Santa arrives to distribute toys that are precisely what the children and one mom desired Itamp8217s one of the moments in the movie that will undoubtedly bring tears to viewersamp8217 eyes And remember the title Anyone who has ever misted up watching soldiers make surprise returns home is bound to cryquotIt is a very kind moviequot Morgan noted quotA lot of wonderful scenes in this will fill your heart It makes you get this warm feeling in your chest like 39I want to help39 It is always my hope in everything I do in anything I do whether music acting speaking I want to try to impact people in a positive way We just seem so separated from each other I know it sounds super cheesy but with every fiber in my body I want to inspire other people motivate people to show some love and kindness Especially in these timesquotA Welcome Home Christmas premiering Saturday Nov 7 on Lifetime It will also be telecast on Veterans Day Wednesday Nov 11Click the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Lifetime Salutes Veterans in "A Welcome Home Christmas"

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Jacqueline Cutler

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Lifetime Salutes Veterans in "A Welcome Home Christmas"

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