In the 1994 film, the character wrestled with life and disabilities after losing his legs in combat. Taylor's journey from despair to hope stayed with Sinise well after cameras stopped rolling. It compelled him to spend time with real U.S. soldiers, and to form the Lt. Dan Band, a 12-piece rock 'n' roll act that supports his military-based charity work.
"The band is one part of an overall mission to draw attention to our military and to make sure they know they are appreciated," Sinise said during a recent phone conversation. "When our troops and what they're doing for our country isn't always on the front page, people tend to forget and just go about their business. We have people deployed overseas and service members back home with all kinds of residual effects from a dozen years of war. I think it's important to acknowledge the sacrifices they make."
Sinise, who plays bass guitar in the group, is a longtime supporter of the military.
In 2003, the actor volunteered for his first USO tour, traveling to Iraq and Afghanistan to shake hands, sign autographs and take pictures with the troops. The following year, he wanted to do more to entertain the troops and asked the USO if he could bring along some of his musician friends on the next tour. Since then the Lt. Dan Band has played an average of 40 shows a year, performing free concerts for members of the military.
Saturday night, the feel-good cover band, which plays everything from The Beatles to Beyoncé, will perform at the nTelos Wireless Pavilion in Portsmouth. The concert is limited to military personnel and their guests.
"I've wanted to come to Hampton Roads for a long time," Sinise said. "We feel privileged to be able to play a small part in boosting morale and keeping military families strong."
The actor's level of commitment goes well beyond the band. Two years ago, he launched the Gary Sinise Foundation, which builds custom homes equipped for the needs of severely wounded veterans.
For his efforts, Sinise has been awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal and last year was declared an honorary Navy chief petty officer.
"I feel privileged to have been invited into the military community and feel very welcome there," he said.
Although he's never served himself, Sinise grew up in a military family. He has leveraged his fame to keep veterans' issues in the public eye but is quick to point out that he thinks the average person can also make a difference.
"Not everyone can go visit military bases and military hospitals like I've been blessed to do on a regular basis over the years, but anyone can take the opportunity to say 'thank you' to a veteran or a member of our active military," he said. "You never know what somebody in uniform might be going through on any given day. Maybe they're going through a really difficult period or something particularly tragic happened recently that has made them feel pretty bad. Just by patting 'em on the back, you could turn somebody's day around and make it a little better."
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