HBO is running another documentary in a triology about the War in Iraq. I have a connection in the form of Soldier serving over here with us now in Afghanistan who appears in the first production, the four-time Emmy Award winning "Baghdad ER."

Sgt. William Macy of Buffalo wasn't in Iraq very long. He had come over in the spring of 2005 as a replacement and was assigned to New York's Fighting 69th Infantry in Headquarters and Headquarters Company. He was out on a mission with others on the outskirts of Baghdad and was handing out some candy to children while others pulled security when a shot range out. Down he went as everyone yelled "sniper." The shooter had found a seam and the round went into his lower abdomen. The battaltion executive officer, Maj. Charles Crosby, darted from cover and pulled him to safety.

The team went into action to find the wound and stop the bleeding and move him to the hospital. He was loaded into the executive officer's humvee and raced to the Baghdad "Green Zone" and the emergency center there, calling ahead as they sped along.

They were met outside by a determined ER team and Maj. Crosby and other 69th men assisted them in getting Macy out of the vehicle and onto a stretcher. Together they wheeled him inside and through the doors and then they were met by -- a camera crew.

Sgt. Macy is the first wounded Soldier who appears in "Baghdad ER," which was released in May 2006. Thanks to the dedicated and talented medical professionals that the documentary pays tribute to, Macy survived the sniper's bullet, fully recovered and is now back in action in a combat zone serving his country.

In June 2007, I sat down with Sgt. Macy at a training range at Fort Drum, where we were waiting our turn to practice throwing "training" grenades at simulated targets. We were among several hundred New York National Guard soldiers conducting three weeks of pre-mobilization training for the mission to Afghanistan.

We had not met in person before but had communication the year before. Sgt. Macy was invited to the premiere of "Baghdad ER" and participated in media interviews. As the New York National Guard state public affairs officer, the Army had asked me to assist him in participating in both the premiere and interviews.

"Baghdad ER" is a masterpiece, but I still have trouble understanding why the Army supported the production of, though I am glad it did. It is very difficult to watch and I did so with my wife. I wanted to see it and I wanted to be able to tell other military families about it, to both warn them and prepare them. We talked about it afterward, too. My wife helps me quite a bit when it comes to news coverage and family perspectives.

I still carry the mental image from my television of Macy on the stretcher in pain as the team removes his gear and a doctor is already looking at the wound site out of frame. And Macy said "I was just trying to give the kids some candy."

The other scene I remember well is nurses and medical technicians taking a break on the roof of the building after a difficult day and one medic playing the old Billie Holiday tune "Save the Child" on a saxophone as a Black Hawk helicopter lifts off in the background and flies into the sunset, carrying seriously wounded service members to the airport for evacuation to the military hospital in Germany. It was poignant, troubling, brilliant and absolutely authentic.

So, as we sat in the dirt at Fort Drum, wearing our body armor and web gear, with our weapons next to us, I just had to ask him, "Bill, you're hurt, bleeding, in pain and you're coming into the ER and there is a camera on you. I can't image this. You couldn't have known this was waiting for you. How did you handle this?"

Sgt. Macy told me that these guys just won his confidence. "They asked me permission later, but right there, they told me that they wouldn't keep anything without my OK. They told me what it was for. Those doctors and medics deserve the credit. People should know how good they are," he said.

Now, he was getting ready for another deployment. Macy volunteered for the Afghan mission. He sought it out. "I wasn't really on the ground in Iraq very long," he said. "I want to be a part of this."

Two months later, I was asked to go to New York City with Lt. Col. Paul Somersal and Maj. John Studiner, who are part of our mission and are both from the Capital Regvion. John used to work in New York City and has a lot of contacts and friends. He knew that I had a presentation about our team and our mission, and the management of the architectural firm that is overseeing the reconstruction of the World Trade Center site wanted to meet us. They knew it was our troops that were there after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and for months later. The fact that soldiers from New York were headed to the place from which the 2001 attacks had been planned meant a lot to them, I found out.

When we got there, we met the firm's leadership and then I met someone else who had also been invited. Matthew O'Neill from Downtown Community Television Center in Manhattan, one of the producers of "Baghdad ER" and one of the people waiting for Sgt. Macy as he came into the ER.

He was a friend of a friend of John Studiner's and also wanted to meet us and learn about the New Yorkers headed to Afghanistan. "We are seriously thinking about a new production and going to Afghanistan," he told me.

I told him who I was and what my mission would be - task force public affairs officer. "So you are the guy I will have to speak to," he said.

"Sure, if you are interested in covering the mission to train and mentor the Afghan National Army and Police," I told him.

And then I told him about Sgt. Macy.

"Really? I know he is OK because he came to the premiere," he said. "And he is going on this mission?"

As a mentor, I told him and that we would be doing more training at Fort Drum and then at Fort Bragg, N.C., and he would be going to Fort Riley, Kansas, before we actually move overseas, I explained. "Wow," he said, and I could almost see his thoughts.

He looked at my video "In the Arena," which begins with New York troops on "the pile" at Ground Zero and performing other home land security missions, training and moving out for Iraq. "Can I get a copy of that?" he asked.

We were given a tour of the site next. We went right down into the pit. So much work was under way. And while some of my conversation with the firm's representative was about the possiblities of a ceremony before we left and possibly something when we came back, my thoughts were about "Baghdad ER" and Sgt. Macy and that I was meeting one of the talented and clearly thoughtful producers who created the documentary.

"Let's keep in touch," he said as he gave me one of his cards. My contact information would be changing, I told him and he nodded. "I mean it, please keep me in mind," he said.

"My pleasure."

Now, we did exchange a few messages in the months that followed. He told me about the Arlington National Cemetery production he and Jon Alpert were working on. I have been pretty busy and there were many other media that I have been working with.

Then about 10 days ago, I received an e-mail from the commander of our Embedded Training Teams assigned to the Afghan National Army's 201st Corps. The message said that a documentary team from HBO was soon due in Afghanistan in his operational area and if I knew anything about it.

Sure enough, Matt O'Neill and Jon Alpert were coming to work with elements of the 101st Airborne Division, and the message indicated that the team was also interested in covering members of an Embedded Training Team. For clarification, our trainers work with the Afghan units, which in turn work with other U.S. and coalition units that operate in designated areas. So I was not surprised that HBO was working with a manuever force and not directly with my task force.

So I sent a message to Matthew and I got a quick response. "We will be going to Jalabad," he wrote. I saw that and I responded to him.

We are coming through Bagram. Is that where you are?" he asked.

No, I am in Kabul at Camp Phoenix.

"Macy is on an ETT south of where you are going but in the general area," I told him.

"I would really like to make contact," said O'Neill.

The very next day, I was walking back to my office and was near the staging area of the Rapid Reaction Team and base post office when I heard a familiar voice. "Hey," I called out, and the soldier turned toward me from whom he was speaking to.

"Hey, sir. How are you doing?" asked now Staff Sgt. Macy.

"I am very glad to see you," I said. "I have something to tell you. You will never guess who I have been communicating with just yesterday and who will be in J-bad next week."

Macy started a puzzled look.

"Matt O'Neill ..." I started to say, and Macy blurted out "...and Jon Alpert? They're coming over? That's great. Can you reach them?"

I nodded.

"Give them my email address. I want to contact them. They are really great guys," he said.

Macy has come through Camp Phoenix a few times before, and I had been wanting to take a picture of him and the rest of his team, but we hadn't been able to do it. But I was determined now. He and his team are working in Paktika province in the east near the border with Pakistan.

"Yes, sir. We just completed our MRAPs training at Bagram and we will be pulling out in a little while," he said. MRAPs stands for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected armored vehicle. They are the next step up from an up armored humvee.

"So, you have your Cougars now?" I asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Down in the motor pool?"

"Roger."

"So what time do I meet you there for the photo?"

"Showtime is noon. We will all be there," he said.

"Great. So will I."

Lt. Col. Paul Fanning is submitting photos to accompany this blog in a gallery, "Pictures from the Front." To view the most recent photos, which accompany this blog entry, click here. To view the entire gallery, click here.