Gary Sinise
Respect for American veterans is an inherited trait for Gary Sinise. Members of the acclaimed actor’s immediate and extended family have served in the military for more than a century. Listening to their stories of service, Sinise developed a deep respect for those who’ve worn the uniform. That reverence grew into action as he found ways to help veterans. In 2011 the actor established the Gary Sinise Foundation, which provides programs, services and events for wounded veterans, first responders and their families, including mortgage-free “smart” homes for veterans with severe disabilities. The charity has since raised more than $200 million. Military History recently reached out to Sinise, who shared the spirit behind what he does for America’s veterans.
You have veterans in your family. What does their service to our country mean to you?
My grandfather Daniel Sinise served in the U.S. Army as an ambulance driver on the front line in France during World War I. He and my grandmother raised three boys. My uncles Jerry and Jack served in World War II, and my father Robert served in the Navy in the early 1950s during the
