Children of Fallen Hop on Snowball Express

Killeen: Snowball Express Honors Families Of Fallen Troops
KWTX News
Brandon Marshall
December 12, 2015

While in Dallas, the families will participate in several activities including a tour of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, a "knight" of jousting fun at Medieval Times and a private concert by Academy Award-nominated actor Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band.

KILLEEN
Some Central Texas children of military members received a special treat Saturday when they flew out of the Killeen-Fort Hood airport on a Snowball Express flight.

This was the 10th annual event put on by American Airlines and the nonprofit group.

Nearly 1,700 children and spouses of fallen U.S. military members headed out on an all-expense-paid journey to Dallas.

24 local family members will take part in the special holiday event during the next week.

Tiffanie Rodriguez of Fort Hood and her three children are among this year's group.

"They miss their father a lot and I think for them just to be able to talk about their dad and not feel so secluded, where as others do have their dad still, they can finally speak freely and not worry," Tiffanie said.

Tiffanie's husband, Army Staff Sgt. Daniel A. Rodriguez, died from his wounds after a roadside bomb exploded while he was serving in Afghanistan in July 2012.
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Orlando Shine Up Those Cars for Gary Sinise Foundation

Orlando Car Show for Heroes is an independent Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser benefiting the Gary Sinise Foundation.

If you think I'm busy in the Veterans Community, this came to be because one of the unsung fabulous women in Orlando did it! If you've ever been to the Orlando Rocks events, it is all due to Mary's efforts.

2013
SFC. Josh Burnette Green Beret

2014
Orlando Navy SEAL Bo Reichenbach Day

2015
Orlando Rocks For Wounded Marine Cpl. Adam Devine

Gary Sinise to Receive West Point Thayer Award for Work with DAV

West Point to Give Award to Actor Gary Sinise
Associated Press
Oct 12, 2015

WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) — The U.S. Military Academy will honor the man who portrayed Lt. Dan in "Forrest Gump" when it gives actor Gary Sinise its annual Thayer Award.

Sinise, also known for his role in the TV show "CSI: New York," will receive the award at West Point on Oct. 22.

The award is named for a former West Point superintendent and is given to citizens who serve the national interest.

West Point cited Sinise's decades of advocacy for service members, including his work for the Disabled American Veterans organization. Sinise also performs for troops as part of the Lt. Dan Band, named for the hard-nosed officer who befriends Forrest Gump.
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Gary Sinise Donated $15,000 to Lansing Veterans Memorial

'Lt. Dan' gives back to Vietnam vets
NWI.COM
Meredith Colias Times Correspondent
July 19, 2015

Sinise said his education of the struggles of Vietnam veterans coming home from war was courtesy of his wife's brothers and other family.

Gary Sinise meets Sunday with several veterans and toured Lansing's Veterans Memorial. On behalf of the Gary Sinise Foundation, he donated $15,000 to Lansing's Veterans Memorial.

LANSING
The man who gained worldwide fame as Forrest Gump’s "Lt. Dan" paid tribute Sunday to the sacrifices of real-life Vietnam veterans.

In front of a packed crowd, actor Gary Sinise presented a $15,000 donation toward Lansing Veterans Memorial renovation costs.

Dozens of veterans stood in front of the memorial's wall as he signed autographs before speaking to the crowd.

Sinise told the crowd that small town memorials were crucial to ensuring young people "understand what service and sacrifice is."

“I think educating our young people — as to the cost of freedom and sacrifices that are made — is critical,” he said.

“And, these local small town memorials that honor their fallen are critical to ensuring that future generations understand what service and sacrifice is and what the cost of our precious freedom really is.”
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Gary Sinise donates $15,000 to Lansing Veterans Memorial

"Serious Disconnect Between Average American and Military" Gary Sinise

Sinise: ‘Serious Disconnect’ Between the Average American and Military
"This is a dangerous 21st century...and the military is going to be called many, many times in the coming decades."
PJ Media
Nicholas Ballasy
June 29, 2015

Actor Gary Sinise said there is a “serious disconnect” between the average American citizen and its military, emphasizing the need to educate the public about lasting effects of war.

“Education, as I was saying, is such a critically important part of letting our young people understand why it’s important to support this 0.1 percent of our population that serves in the military. It’s a very, very small percentage of over 300 million people serving in uniform, defending our country,” Sinise said at the National Press Club.

“A lot of young people, if they don’t have a personal connection to somebody who is serving in the military, there’s a disconnect, there’s a serious disconnect between the average American citizen and its military so keeping awareness up, education, that’s why I’m supporting the Medal of Honor Foundation museum.”

Sinise, the national spokesperson for the Disabled Veterans’ LIFE Memorial Foundation, said the museum is going to serve as a “beacon of education for what service, selflessness and character is all about.”

“We want our young people to understand something greater than themselves of service,” he said.
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Sinise: ‘Serious disconnect’ between the average American and its military

High School Students Build Home For Iraq Veteran

High school students build home from ground up for wounded veteran
The Associated Press
By JOHN ROGERS
Published: May 29, 2015

Asked when he'd actually move in, he laughed and replied: "As soon as the cameras leave."

27-year-old Iraq war veteran Jerral Hancock, sitting on an electric wheelchair, and members of Operation All The Way Home(OATH) chant their slogans after a meeting at Lancaster High School on Monday, Oct. 21, 2013, in Lancaster, Calif. The seniors in Jamie Goodreau's high school history class learned Hancock was stuck in a modest mobile home for months, unable to travel the 70 miles to the nearest VA hospital in Los Angeles to have his bedsores treated or his rotting teeth fixed. Goodreau's students, who each year raise a few thousand dollars for veterans, decided to make Hancock their cause. AP

LOS ANGELES — Jerral Hancock is about to replace the worst day of his life with the best one.

The Army veteran, who was partially paralyzed, badly burned and lost his left arm when the tank he was driving through Iraq on his 21st birthday was attacked, will get a spacious, new home built from the ground up by a group of Southern California high school students. The students took up Hancock's cause as part of an annual school project honoring veterans.

After two years of raising hundreds of thousands of dollars from selling T-shirts and refrigerator magnets, soliciting donations from businesses and receiving unsolicited help from people that included actor Gary Sinise and local prison inmates, they'll present the keys to Hancock on Friday, his 29th birthday.

"I'm grateful, I'm very, very grateful," the retired soldier said by phone Thursday in a voice filled with emotion.
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No Longer Untold Story of Navy SEALs

There seems to be a lot of action for a PBS documentary on Navy SEALs. I don't like to use what some people put up especially when it appears they are not part of the original work done. I tracked back the video to PTSD and the original video.

If you want to see a fantastic documentary, you need to see this one!

Navy SEALs - Their Untold Story

“The SEALs’ history has never been truly told before. This is the first time that Naval Special Warfare has assisted with the research of a documentary about the Teams and their forefathers.” – Filmmaker Carol L. Fleisher

Navy SEALs – Their Untold Story premiered on Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11, 2014, 9:00–11:00 p.m. ET.

SEAL Team TWO L to R: Gordy Boyce, Dennis Drady, Wally Schwalenberg and Silver (dog).

Despite the widespread attention paid to the Navy SEALs (Sea, Air and Land) since they killed Osama bin Laden, the story of how these clandestine warriors evolved in response to changing threats — from WWII to the War on Terror — and how their extraordinary abilities shaped U.S. and world history, has remained untold.

Few people know the unheralded tales of the first frogmen who dared to face almost certain death with little training, scant equipment and untested tactics.

Narrated by Gary Sinise, Navy Seals – Their Untold Story recounts the ticking-clock missions of the “Commandoes of the Deep” through firsthand accounts — including that of a D-Day demolition team member — and through never-before-seen footage, home movies and personal mementoes. Admirals, master chiefs, clandestine operators, demolitioneers and snipers all reveal how U.S. Navy SEALs morphed into the SEALs.

Throughout the storied history examined in the film, the Navy SEALs accomplish seemingly impossible tasks. For this willingness to take extreme risks, many SEALs have been awarded the U.S. Armed Services’ highest honor.

The following Navy SEALs have received the Congressional Medal of Honor:

LT Thomas Norris – Vietnam
LT j.g. Joseph R. Kerrey – Vietnam
EN2 (SEAL) Michael Edwin Thornton – Vietnam
LT Michael P. Murphy – Afghanistan
MA2 (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor – Iraq
Here is the link to PBS and you can watch the video here.

Gary Sinise's holiday message for the troops

Gary Sinise's holiday message for the troops
FOX News
December 3, 2014
video embed not working so go to this link Gary Sinise's holiday message for the troops

American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in Washington

Grit and granite: A monument to disabled veterans
Philly.com
Edward Colimore, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: Sunday, September 28, 2014

"The country has finally separated the disdain for what politicians do with the military and the service member who sacrifices himself for his country," he said. "Our country loves the soldier and hates the war; that's a positive evolution."

At one point during the chaos and carnage of D-Day, the USS Frankford sailed so close to Omaha Beach that it scraped bottom.

The destroyer's big guns blasted German machine-gun positions and helped pinned-down GIs advance on June 6, 1944, when all seemed lost.

Tom Potts, then a teenager from Moorestown, was manning an antiaircraft gun on the Frankford's deck amid the cacophony of fire - and lost most of his hearing that day 70 years ago.

After numerous surgeries and hearing aids, the now-89-year-old from Upper Pittsgrove, Salem County, still has trouble following conversations and is among four million disabled service members who returned home with the lingering effects of war.

Next Sunday, all of them will be honored with the dedication of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in Washington.

The 2.4-acre triangular site - across from the U.S. Botanic Garden and about 1,000 feet from the Capitol - uses granite and glass to communicate the strength and vulnerability of service members. read more here

Also some more on this story

Actor Gary Sinise champions disabled veterans' memorial
AUGUST 24, 2014

Sinise tells "Face the Nation" about his involvement with the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, which is nearing completion.

Gary Sinise tribute to Vietnam Veterans at Epcot

Gary Sinise tribute to Vietnam Veterans at Epcot
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
December 1, 2013

Every year for the last 7 years, I have traveled to Epcot for their Candlelight Procession. For the last couple of years I have gone with Markham Woods Presbyterian Church. This was the first year I was able to hear Gary Sinise tell the Christmas story.

As soon as he took center position, someone yelled out "Lt. Dan" and right away he responded with "life is like a box of chocolates" as the crowed cracked up.

Disney Epcot November 30, 2013

Gary Sinise

At the end of the performance, Gary talked about Vietnam veterans and how honored he felt to play the role of Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump.

So to my Vietnam veteran buddies, know that you are not forgotten and judging by the response from the crowd last night, very much appreciated! Enjoy the videos.
Gary Sinise tribute Vietnam Veterans
December 1, 2013
For the 7th year I was able to go with a choir to Epcot for the Candlelight program. This was the first year I saw Gary Sinise perform. He was fantastic but at the end of the show, he gave a moving tribute to Vietnam veterans.

Rejoice in Sign Language
Dec 1, 2013
Last night was the 7th year of being able to watch Disney Candlelight at Epcot. This woman is fabulous. She delivers the sign language with amazing zeal.

Actor Gary Sinise Becomes Honorary Marine

Actor Gary Sinise Becomes Honorary Marine
DVIDS
by Pfc. Daniel Hosack
Aug 30, 2013

WASHINGTON - Actor and musician Gary A. Sinise was named an honorary U.S. Marine during a ceremony at the Home of the Commandants, Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., Aug. 29.

Sinise shares this title with other notable people including actor Chuck Norris and Pulitzer prize-winning photographer Joe Rosenthal.

“This was one of the most extraordinary nights. I was totally surprised by what the general gave me tonight. I’m humbled, shocked, moved and motivated to keep standing up for our men and women and giving back to them,” said Sinise.

Gen. James F. Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, hosted the ceremony at his home at the Barracks.
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“Lt. Dan” Changed How Some See Vietnam Vets

“Lt. Dan” Changed How Some See Vietnam Vets
Military.com
by Bryant Jordan
Aug 19, 2013

Twenty years ago next month a Hollywood production was just getting underway that would show moviegoers something they rarely saw until – and for the most part since – then.

The production was “Forest Gump” and the something was a severely wounded, disabled Vietnam veteran who came home from the war and put his life back together. For members of the Disabled American Veterans, the film vet portrayed by actor Gary Sinise was such a breath of fresh air that they quickly invited him to their national convention to give him an award.

“I went there and it was very moving. I was very moved by it and the whole experience of seeing so many disabled veterans,” Sinise told Military.com during an interview Aug. 11 in Orlando, Fla., where the star of the TV series"CSI: New York" was preparing his band to play before up to 4,000 vets and family members. “I think [“Forest Gump”] was the first time that a Vietnam veteran could be portrayed as somebody who could overcome his injury and become successful.”

Sinise’s role as Lt. Dan Taylor netted him more than a dinner invitation and award from the DAV. That experience made his an advocate for veterans and their families. Years later, with the U.S. engaged in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Sinise assembled the “Lt. Dan Band” and have been bringing attention to and raising money for veterans causes ever since; in addition the band has toured the combat theater, bringing its pop, rock, country and – yes – even swing sounds to active duty troops.

“We play for young kids, family members of deployed service people, and families of wounded warriors, and we play veterans organizations – and the DAV has all [ages] of veterans,” he said, “so when we come in ... we even throw in a couple of swing tunes from the ‘40s.”

He also established the Gary Sinise Foundation, of which the band is one part. The group also partners with other organizations and charities to support veterans and their families. He is also the spokesman for the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, which is slated to open next year near the U.S. Capitol.

But at the time the DAV honored him, Sinise was not knowledge about what the organization did, and had not thought much about how Vietnam veterans were perceived or portrayed in film.
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LT. Dan Band played for the DAV Convention in Orlando last weekend. Fabulous! I filmed them and they are over of the side bar.

LT. Dan Band wowed Disabled Veterans in Orlando

Last night had to have been one of the best nights at the DAV Convention in Orlando. A true friend to the troops and veterans, Gary Sinise and his LT. Dan Band gave a fabulous show as always.

Here's some of the videos I shot last night. As you can see, all ages had a blast!

Disabled American Veterans Convention is today

I am heading to the Disabled American Veterans Convention in Orlando.

Among the events happening is President Obama speaking today and a concert by Gary Sinise Lt. Dan Band tomorrow night. He has been very busy working hard for our veterans.

Lt. Dan Band Plays For Big Crowd At Stage AE To Raise $ For Wounded Vet

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Thousands of people showed up to see actor Gary Sinise and his Lt. Dan Band at Stage AE Friday night.

It was a benefit concert for Sgt. Doug Vitale who was severely injured in Afghanistan when he stepped on an IED.

The Gary Sinise Foundation and the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation are raising money to build Sgt. Vitale and his wife Alexis a “smart house” equipped with devices to help them live as independently as possible.
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I hope to shoot some great video on this fabulous weekend and I'll put it up as soon as possible. There won't be much posting done today and tomorrow but I'll put up as much as I can.

Vietnam veterans get special Honor Flight

Vietnam veterans get special Honor Flight
Journal Sentinel
By Meg Jones
July 20, 2013

The first thing Jim Schertz will do is find four names etched into the black granite.

They're not simply names to the retired Milwaukee firefighter and Vietnam veteran. They were his buddies and comrades. They did not come home from the war.

"Just the fact they're still missing in action is unbelievable," said Schertz, 62.

Schertz will head straight to one of the last sections of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, known as 2W, and his eyes will scan to Lines 128 and 129. That's where Douglas L. O'Neil, Larry A. Zich, Allen D. Christensen and Edward W. Williams are listed among the more than 52,000 other Americans killed in Vietnam.

Schertz has never been to the Wall or Washington. But he's flying to the nation's capital on Aug. 2 with 110 other Vietnam veterans in the first Honor Flight for Wisconsin veterans of that war.

Appleton-based Old Glory Honor Flight, whose motto is "It's never too late to say thank you," has organized numerous one-day trips to Washington for World War II veterans to visit memorials. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the end of hostilities in Vietnam, organizers decided to arrange a one-time-only trip for Vietnam veterans.

Old Glory Honor Flight's goal is to continue the free trips for World War II and Korean War veterans. With a waiting list of more than 500 names, it will be a few more years until the group can turn its attention to Vietnam veterans.

"Vietnam veterans as a group have been so incredibly supportive of our organization and really helped us get off the ground for our first flight in '09, so we thought this was a perfect way to give back to them," Old Glory Honor Flight President Drew MacDonald said.

The flight will leave Oshkosh early Aug. 2 with stops at the Wall, Smithsonian American History Museum and Arlington National Cemetery to see the changing of the guard ceremony. Veterans will wear special shirts and receive small tote bags filled with snacks, tissues, and pencils and tracing paper if they want to make an etching of a name on the Wall. The group will return that evening to EAA AirVenture to a hero's welcome and concert by actor Gary Sinise's Lt. Dan Band.
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Wounded Iraq veteran gets "smart" home for the holidays

Disabled Veteran gets new "Smart" home
Posted at: 12/24/2012
By: Beth Wurtmann

AVERILL PARK - Air Force Technical Sgt. Joe Wilkinson got a first look around his new home Monday. It was custom-built to give him more independence, after becoming disabled during a tour in Iraq.

"Being here today it's truly amazing how it all came together, the community unbelievable it really hits the heart," Wilkinson said.

Paralyzed from the waist down and unable to live easily in conventional homes, a fundraising effort was launched to help.

Actor Gary Sinise, who played amputee Lt. Dan in the movie Forrest Gump, played a benefit concert at the Washington Avenue Armory. The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and local contractors worked to build a 'smart home,' with wider doorways, and easy-to-reach thermostats and bathroom fixtures.

With the touch of an iPad in the kitchen, Joe will be able to lower customized shelves, and get his own dishes.
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Todd Love goes from Gators to Falcons

And I thought it was cool when Todd Love wrestled gator on "Gator Boys"

Todd Love, Triple-Amputee Marine Veteran, Visits Atlanta Falcons Practice (VIDEO) Posted: 11/20/2012 The word "hero" is thrown around a lot in sports, but this past weekend, the Atlanta Falcons paid tribute to some real heroes when they hosted a pair of injured war veterans.

Army Sgt. First Class Michael Schlitz and Marine Cpl. Todd Love, who were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, respectively, joined the Falcons in practice on Friday before being honored during Sunday's Salute to Service game, according to the Falcons blog.

The team has partnered with the Steven Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and the Gary Sinise Foundation to raise money to build smart homes for the two soldiers as well as other vets across the nation.
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Actor Gary Sinise as ‘the new Bob Hope’

Actor Gary Sinise as ‘the new Bob Hope’
ADVOCATE FOR WOUNDED TROOPS PERFORMING AT NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER SAN DIEGO
Gretel C. Kovach

Some of actor Gary Sinise’s most memorable roles have been public servants injured in the line of fire who found solace in the healing power of relationships.

As Lt. Dan in the 1994 movie “Forrest Gump,” he played an angry Vietnam War veteran whose friendship with the title character helps him make peace with life as a double amputee. In the television series “CSI: NY,” Sinise is a police detective who leans on his girlfriend to recover from a gunshot wound.

His interactions with real-life men and women on the front lines or struggling at home to overcome disability inspired another major role — globe-trotting fundraiser, entertainer and advocate for military and law enforcement personnel.

On Saturday, the 57-year-old actor from Los Angeles and his “Lt. Dan Band” will jam at a party for service members in treatment at Naval Medical Center San Diego. The event caps a weeklong observation of the five-year anniversary of C5, the medical center’s Comprehensive Combat and Complex Casualty Care rehabilitation program.
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Lt. Dan Band plays to crowds aboard Camp Lejeune

Lt. Dan Band plays to crowds aboard Camp Lejeune
September 17, 2012
AMBERLY POZZI
The Daily News of Jacksonville

It was the third time Katheryn Walsh had been to a USO concert at Camp Lejeune that featured actor Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band, and she hopes it’s not her last.

“They’re wonderful,” said Walsh, a retired gunnery sergeant. “Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band support the Marines and all of the service members. I’m here to show my support for someone who shows support of the services.”

Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band visited troops and their families aboard Camp Lejeune Sunday and played a variety of cover tunes during the afternoon concert that netted a crowd of about 2,500.

The actor, who currently stars in CSI: NY, and his 12-member band, named for the memorable character Sinise played in the movie “Forrest Gump,” have been touring with the USO over the past year, with their final show at W.P.T. Hill Field.

“We’re here for the military. We play a variety of songs, most of them everybody knows,” said Sinise. “There’s a lot of stress on our military. I wanted to provide them with something fun, show my support and appreciation, and let them know they’re not being taken for granted.”
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Gary Sinise to lead band back to Lejeune for free concert

Sinise to lead band back to Lejeune for free concert
Posted: Thursday, September 13, 2012
Amy Binkley Assistant managing editor

On screen, he’s flown to outer space, walked the green mile and investigated crime scenes. Aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, he’s simply Lt. Dan.

Actor Gary Sinise makes a rock ’n roll return to base with the Lt. Dan Band for a free concert for service members and their families at the W.P.T. Hill Field at 3 p.m. Sunday.

“I’m really excited about coming back to Camp Lejeune,” Sinise said. “For the (service members) who are deploying or coming back, and their families, it’s important to keep their spirits strong and give their morale a boost. If somebody like me can come in and show them a good time, it’s worth it.”

Sinise is a familiar face aboard MCB Camp Lejeune and other military installations around the country.
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