Gary Sinise on the Importance of Aiding Veterans: ‘We All Have a Role to Play’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Actor Gary Sinise heart for veterans started early in his life and it was through his wife’s siblings, served in the Vietnam War, that he learned the struggles that veterans dealt with upon returning home.
“They had a really, really difficult time when they came home. It was a divided time in our country… it was just not a good thing to be a Vietnam veteran [sic]. It was a shameful time in our history the way we treated our veterans,” Sinise said.
Following his portrayal of Lt. Dan, Sinise started getting involved with Disabled American Veterans Organization. He also started his own foundation following the attack on September 11.
Through his foundation, Sinise has built 82 smart homes throughout the country all for severely wounded veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq.
Sinise stated, “I wanted to play a role in supporting them, making sure that what happened to our Vietnam veterans [sic] when they were neglected and treated badly when they came home from war, I didn’t want that to happen to those who were responding to Sept. 11.”
“I think we all have a role to play. These are our defenders; these are our freedom providers. I don’t think it’s up to the government, nor can the government cover all the needs of everybody who goes off to war and comes home from war,” Sinise concluded.
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