Gary Sinise is pretty much a household name, being as well-known as he is for his roles in iconic films like Forrest Gump. Though his fan-favorite on-screen persona Lieutenant Dan was a Veteran of the Vietnam War, was Gary Sinise in the military, himself? We’re going to find out the answer to “Is Gary Sinise a Veteran?” and discuss his current contributions to Veterans’ causes.
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Was Gary Sinise in the Military? When & Where Did He Serve?
In theory, you could say that he served in Hollywood because Sinise does not actually have real-life military service under his belt. However, he has received many awards and recognitions for his humanitarian work with military personnel and Veterans.
Some of this work earned him the titles of Honorary Chief Petty Officer with the Navy and Honorary Battalion Chief with the New York Fire Department. He also received the Presidential Citizens Medal from President George W. Bush in 2008 for “exemplary deeds performed in the service of the nation.” Here’s a list of more honors and accolades that his efforts in helping service members and first responders have earned him:
- Honorary member of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)
- Honorary member of the Easterseals in MD, D.C., and VA
- Sylvanus Thayer Award
- Bob Hope Award for Excellence in Entertainment
- Spirit of the USO Award
- Ellis Island Medal of Honor
- Spirit of Hope Award
- Dwight D. Eisenhower Award
Gary Sinise & His National Veterans Foundation
Just because the answer to “Was Gary Sinise in the military?” is a no, it doesn’t mean that his work in the military sphere hasn’t been invaluable.
Sinise’s most admirable contribution to the military community is his work with his Veterans foundation. Not to be confused with the official National Veterans Foundation, Sinise’s Veterans foundation, called the Gary Sinise Foundation, looks to “serve our nation by honoring our Defenders, Veterans, First Responders, their families, and those in need.”
Now, he’s working to make his Veterans foundation truly national by moving its HQ. The Gary Sinise Foundation has been headquartered in Los Angeles, California, since its founding in 2011. Now, Sinise is making the move across the country to none other than the Volunteer State: Tennessee.
In a statement to The Tennessean, Sinise said, “It will be very, very good to be in a state that’s connected to seven other states, all of them with military bases and many, many Veterans… Having our foundation more centrally located in the country will be a very, very positive thing for the work that we do.”
Tennessee is home to roughly 430,000 Veterans and is connected with huge military installations like Fort Campbell (spread across Tennessee and Kentucky), Fort Benning (in Georgia), and Fort Bragg (in North Carolina). This makes it the perfect spot for Sinise to continue his valuable work for Veterans, military members, first responders, and those in need.
Why Gary Sinise Cares About Veteran Causes
Knowing that he didn’t serve in the military, many people question Sinise’s motivations to contribute so much to military and Veteran causes. To that we say, just because you weren’t in the military doesn’t mean you can’t contribute to making the lives of service members better! We can always do more for our nation’s heroes.
Sinise has taken that to heart, and one of his main influences in developing his own Veterans foundation was 9/11, an event that inspired many men and women to enlist in the Armed Forces. After seeing so much pain, loss, and sorrow, he knew he wanted to do something to help. Not only that, but he recognized that he actually had the resources and ability to make a huge impact in the lives of people who had sacrificed so much for the nation.
Under his Veterans foundation, Sinise has supported or helped develop many organizations dedicated to those related to the military community who need support. Check out a list of just a few of these groups below.
- Snowball Express: Dedicated to assisting children, spouses, guardians, and family members of fallen Veterans.
- Invincible Spirit Festivals: Day-long festivals held at military medical centers to celebrate the strength and courage of injured military members, Veterans, and their families.
- Lt. Dan Band: A musical group dedicated to entertaining troops and boosting Veterans’ morale across the nation.
- H.O.P.E.: Heal, overcome, persevere, and excel. An organization providing full support to military members, Veterans, and first responders who have experienced injury, loss, illness, or trauma.
- Soaring Valor: A program dedicated to preserving the stories of men and women who served in or were affected by WWII.
So, was Gary Sinise in the military? Well, no, he wasn’t. However, that fact has no bearing on his incredible service to our military men and women and their support systems who make up part of the total force that keeps our country safe. Though Sinise isn’t a service member, he has provided our country with a service that many would be much worse off without. So, to the honorary Chief Petty Officer Sinise, we salute you!
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The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.