To support the third season of its hit, original series Army Wives, cable’s number one drama among Women 18-49, Lifetime Networks will launch a multi-platform public affairs campaign spanning on-air, VOD, digital and public events. The program, the highest-rated series in the history of Lifetime Television, will return to the Network at 10:00 PM (ET/PT) on Sunday, June 7.
At a time of increased attention on the military and its families, Lifetime’s Army Wives public affairs campaign will partner with national non-profit organizations, including The American Red Cross, the USO, Operation Homefront, Blue Star Families, purpledogtags.com, the National Military Family Association and others to support the critical needs of members of the armed forces, veterans and their families. The Company is also organizing a number of viewing parties, as well as public and volunteer events at military bases and other sites throughout the country.
On-air, the Network will recognize two women dedicated to military families in Lifetime’s Remarkable Women, its new, weekly series of vignettes that spotlights extraordinary women who inspire and empower others to make a difference in their communities. In celebration of Army Wives, women set to be profiled are:
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Amy Palmer, Chief Operating Officer of the non-profit military support organization Operation Homefront, which provides emergency assistance and morale to American troops, the families they leave behind and wounded warriors when they return home. A veteran of the Air Force, Palmer oversees all activities of Operation Homefront, leading more than 4,500 volunteers in 30 chapters nationwide to deliver critical aid to over 45,000 military families. Prior to joining Operation Homefront, she was Founder and Executive Director of the Armed Forces Foundation.
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U.S. Navy Captain Maureen M. Pennington, who, as Commander of the Charlie Health Services Company 1st Medical Battalion, is the first Nurse Corps officer to oversee a surgical company in Iraq. Since 1986, she served in multiple tours of duty, including Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. Her awards include the 2007 Minerva Award for her service during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the Spirit of the Immortal Chaplains Award, which recognizes individuals who exemplify the spirit of compassion for others.
Lifetime will also air public service announcements (PSAs) in support of the issues most affecting members of the armed forces, veterans and their families. The Lifetime’s Remarkable Women vignettes and PSAs will be made available on myLifetime.com. Customized tags are scheduled to air after each episode to direct viewers to myLifetime.com for information about issues addressed on Army Wives.
In the digital space, Lifetime has produced a series of exclusive, real-life homecoming tributes featuring interviews with military wives upon their husbands’ returns from active duty. Produced under the banner of Homecoming: Real Army Wives and currently available at myLifetime.com, each tribute was shot on location at the Fort Hood U.S. Army base in Texas and showcases spouses whose husbands have been deployed for 15 months in Iraq. Lifetime is also producing and distributing viral segments featuring interviews with Army Wives cast members, including Drew Fuller and Terry Serpico, and behind-the-scenes content at military events in which the series is involved. The segments will be posted on the official Army Wives blog at myLifetime.com and distributed to nearly 500,000 registered fans of the program.
Army Wives cast members will also volunteer with the Company’s non-profit partners to support the needs of armed service members and their families. The cast and crew are currently engaged in an Adopt-A-Soldier program that will send needed supplies to Afghanistan for U.S. troops and Afghani children.
Renowned for its role in helping to secure the passage of five major bills into law, Lifetime’s award-winning Advocacy & Public Affairs department will identify and advocate on behalf of various bipartisan legislative and policy issues pertaining to the military and military families.
