“How can I make a difference in restoring what’s been lost? How can I help make sure our veterans are never treated that way again?”
Gary Sinise is a champion for veterans, overseeing the Gary Sinise Foundation that helps veterans with housing, supports widows and provides fun opportunities for children who lost their parents in military service. But, how did he become such an advocate for veterans when he never served in the military? His roots trace back to Chicago where he knew his grandfather had served and he knew the treatment that Vietnam veterans received when they returned home. While pursuing a career in music and acting, his respect for the military showed when they would have veterans nights at his acting company, Steppenwolf. Then, he got the role of Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump and he started joining USO shows. The more veterans he met, the more he wanted to help.
I have followed Gary Sinise’s work for veterans over that last few years. When I saw he was coming out with a book, Grateful American, I quickly added it to my to-read list. It was available after a few weeks as an ebook from my library through Libby. For a new release, it wasn’t very long to wait.
The book starts out as a biography, explaining Sinise’s family background and what kind of kid and teenager he was. He is very honest about his life, even talking about his drug use and partying. His wife, Moira, also battled alcoholism. Sinise had a hard time balancing work, family and helping veterans and first responders, but his family saw the importance of his work for those who serve. The book ends with ways people can help veterans – from helping them live in homes fit for them, helping spouses, helping military children and helping older veterans.
Grateful American is a great book to expose people to the military life and how people can show their gratitude to those who serve. Those close to the military may find the book slow in parts because it covers information they already know. For more information on The Gary Sinise Foundation, visit https://www.garysinisefoundation.org.