Honor. Gratitude. Rock n’ Roll.
By, CJ Machado
This Veterans Day as we pay tribute to all veterans, active service members and their families, we need to take a moment to thank the organizations and veteran supporters that make a difference in the lives of our nation’s defenders. Gary Sinise embodies the sentiment of President Calvin Coolidge when he said, “The nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten.” Taking this statement to heart, Gary Sinise lives his life to ensure our nation’s defenders are not forgotten. In recognition of his continued support of our service men and women, this year the USMC Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation (FLHF) awarded Gary Sinise the FLHF Distinguished Service Award. This award is the highest honor that the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation can bestow on an individual.
The recipient must demonstrate extraordinary qualities of leadership, integrity, service, philanthropy and patriotism and have made contributions to our American heritage by truly giving of himself/herself to his/her community, state, country and fellow man. The FLHF Distinguished Service Award was established in 2012 and there have only been three recipients: Major Glenn Ferguson in 2013, Lt. Colonel Gerald “Jerry” Coleman in 2014 and Gary A. Sinise in 2015. The USMC Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation is based in San Diego, CA and it is the only Museum dedicated solely to preserving Marine Aviation history.
For more information on the FLHF Distinguished Service Award, visit: https://www.flyingleathernecks.org/distinguished-service-award/
Many years after his role as ‘Lt. Dan’ from the 1994 box office hit ‘Forrest Gump’, Gary Sinise was inspired to form the ‘Lt. Dan Band’ to entertain troops all around the world. Gary Sinise founded his namesake foundation in 2011, which actively reaches out to service members, veterans and their families. 18 thousand people have donated or volunteered to help with the foundation to date. The Foundation has many facets of recognition and support for our nation’s service members.
One of their new programs is dedicated to supporting First Responders and recognizing the heroism that they demonstrate in their local communities on a daily basis. The First Responders Outreach program was inspired by the men and women that met the challenge of the tragic day’s events on September 11th, 2001 with their actions of courage and bravery. This program gives grants for training and vehicles to fire fighters across the country. Two Lt Dan Vans, a trailer and a Lt. Dan Rescue boat as well as training support for 45 firefighters in Colorado are just some of the ways that the Gary Sinise Foundation has provided support since the start of the outreach program.
The Lt. Dan Band has played for troops, veterans and the United Service Organizations (USO) all around the world. They raise the spirits of the veterans and troops but they also help raise funds and awareness within the community. For over a dozen years, the band has been showing honor and gratitude through Rock n’ Roll and has performed over 300 concerts, inspiring the youth of America to honor and support our nation’s service members. The Gary Sinise Foundation is a partner with American Airlines, MGM Resorts International and the USO in the 7th annual “A Salute to the Troops” weekend in Las Vegas.
A group of wounded service members from around the country will be flown in to Las Vegas for an amazing weekend, including a live performance by Gary Sinise and the Lt Dan Band. The “Salute to the Troops” concert will be held on Saturday November 14th at the Freemont Street Experience. The band will pay tribute to our veterans, near and far. The Freemont Street Experience is open to the public and is free for all to enjoy. http://vegasexperience.com/calendar/free-concert-gary-sinise-the-lt-dan-band/
The Lt. Dan Band is also featured at the Invincible Spirit Festivals sponsored by the Gary Sinise Foundation. They are organized all across the country to spread the spirit of gratitude and honor for our veterans. The day long festivals bring a fair-like atmosphere to the veteran’s hospitals and rehabilitation centers across the nation. The festivals have given over 50K servicemen and women, their families and hospital staff a way to relax and enjoy the day. During the live performance of the Lt. Dan Band, a BBQ cookout headed by celebrity chef Robert Irvine, a Gary Sinise Foundation ambassador, feeds the hungry, happy crowd.
During WWII, the ‘Greatest Generation’ defended our country with sheer determination and valor. The Soaring Valor program is a partnership with the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana. This program will document the individual stories of WWII heroes and preserve them for future generations. The personal stories will create a “Living Library” so we will never forget the contributions that many brave service members gave for the liberty of our nation.
Less than 2% of Americans volunteer to defend this country and many are forever wounded in its service. The Gary Sinise Foundation’s R.I.S.E. program stands for Restoring Independence and Supporting Empowerment for wounded veterans. Many families are unable to cope and retrofit homes or vehicles to help our wounded heroes to excel as civilians. Wheel chairs, track chairs and special vehicles given through this program have changed the lives of those in need. Smart technology homes that are custom made for the severely wounded veterans are tailored to the needs of each recipient warrior. Independence starts with the homes, but community support is also vital to the success of the service member in transition. To date, 36 of these homes have been built or are under construction.
The Gary Sinise Foundation’s community network has inspired some fans to create local veteran outreach programs. Not all have the ability to build homes, but we can all give back locally, doing what you can, where you are. Dr. Leslie Bonar’s ‘Smiles for Heroes’ program has done just that. Located in Escondido, CA, Dr. Bonar’s program reaches out through her dental practice to help veterans in need of dental work in her community. She has adopted the Gary Sinise Foundation’s philosophy of “community”, “A strong local network of support is key to the success of a transitioning warrior.” Dr. Bonar gives “Smiles for Heroes” because a confident smile can change a life. http://tinyurl.com/SmilesForHeroes
Thank you Gary Sinise for honoring OUR veterans and inspiring America. “While we can never do enough to show gratitude to our nation’s defenders, we can always do a little more” –Gary Sinise
