GARY SINISE IN THE SATURDAY EVENING POST

Gary Sinise

Gary Sinise earned more than an Oscar nod for his role as Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump. In the September/October 2013 issue of The Post, the actor tells legendary Hollywood reporter Jeanne Wolf how he was transformed by his experience playing a character who finds the courage to come to terms with his disability. Following the role, Sinise’s involvement with veterans groups snowballed and he formed the Gary Sinise Foundation to help America’s forgotten heroes. Now, nearly 20 years later, his focus on the cause has only grown stronger. To this day, the busy actor spends countless hours visiting hospitals and meeting severely injured vets. To entertain troops and raise funds to assist the wounded, he tapped his own musical roots to form the Lt. Dan Band, which drives crowds wild. He also formed the Gary Sinise Foundation to organize future veterans programs. In the September/October issue, The Saturday Evening Post catches up with the committed actor:

On what veterans taught him: “I was a kid absorbed with my own particular interests. […] I knew the Vietnam War was a bad thing. I saw the news on TV, the body bags coming home. I never thought about the young guys who were wounded until I got to know some veterans. It made me realize there’s a lot more to life than your little piece of it.”

On his music: “I can use the music to do something positive. I don’t make any money, not a dime. I’m just trying to give back to our men and women in uniform who are serving our country.”

On what guides him now: “I think your actions define who you are. They do speak louder than words. I try to take action and, if I can inspire somebody to do something positive that gives back and encourage others to do the same, then I feel like I’ve done a good job.”

To read the full profile and watch Sinise rock for the troops, visit HERE.