Tag Archives: Veterans

How Team Gwen’s Ben Allen Gives Back

Ben Allen, a Top 9 contestant on season 19 of “The Voice”, reveals how he gives back to veterans.

By Heather Newgen

Fans know Ben Allen from touring Southwest Florida with the Ben Allen Band, as well as season 19 of “The Voice”. The country singer was first on Team Blake, however, was let go during the Knockout Rounds after his coach chose the family trio Worth the Wait instead. But he was given a second chance by Gwen when she saved him from going home and viewers moved him forward to the semi-finals.

Ben Allen quickly became a fan favorite and every week has showcased his talents, which has advanced him far in the competition. While the 42-year-old keeps a busy schedule, he consistently dedicates time for volunteering at Miles Ranch in Florida.

“It’s an organization that works with veterans that come home and have PTSD. It incorporates horses in their therapy. They can go and have time with these animals and it saves the animals at the same time, so it’s kind of dual purpose,” he told The Voluntourist.

“This organization gives these animals purpose. In Florida, there’s a lot of horses that slip through the cracks. I’m not necessarily a big horse guy. I don’t know how to ride a horse, but I do know there’s a lot of horses that fall through the crack. A horse can be an expensive animal to have, so this gives these horses a purpose and a use. It works very well with these veterans to go out and get some peaceful time. [They] go out and have some peace, change their mindset and get them away from the things that they’re carrying around with them inside. They’ve done things for our country that they have to carry. If I can benefit them in some way then I’m happy to do that,” he added.

For now, Allen is in Los Angeles fighting for a spot in the finals, which his coach thinks he has. After his performance of “All About Tonight,” a Blake Shelton hit, Gwen gushed, “I think it’s funny that I’m gonna win The Voice with you doing Blake..America is gonna be all over that.”

“That was music to my ears. It was exactly what I wanted to hear in that position,” he laughed.

“Wouldn’t it just be the icing on the cake for her to win the show with the artist that Blake passes on and in his own genre as well. I think it all fits together really, really well. I don’t know if we get there but maybe we do. I’m really hoping it’s something I can have a laugh about with them in the future.”

Fans can vote for Ben Allen to advance to the next round by visiting the official The Voice voting website, casting a vote via The Voice‘s official app or voting from their Google Assistant. There is a limit of 10 votes per artist per method.

December 8, 2020 admin

Brantley Gilbert on A Capitol Fourth and honoring veterans

Country star Brantley Gilbert talks about his new song “Hard Days,” what it was like performing on A Capitol Fourth and how he gives back to veterans.

By Heather Newgen

Fans will get a chance to see country singer and songwriter Brantley Gilbert belt out his latest single “Hard Days” at the PBS’ 40th Anniversary of A Capitol Fourth–a show a grew up watching, but reveals his performance will be different than usual due to Covid-19.

“I went to Nashville with just me and my bus driver. He’s one of the closet people in the world to me.–he’s family. We flew up, landed, drove right to where we were filming, filmed it really quickly in like two hours and then got back on the plane and flew back to Georgia. We were gone all of maybe three or four hours. Like everything this year, it was a unique experience and different from anything else I’ve ever done,” Gilbert explained.

While the Georgia native is excited for audiences to hear his song, he admits it was tough to do on his own.

“I was missing something that makes performing anywhere okay and comfortable and fun and that’s my band. I didn’t have my band. It was just me. I’ve got to say if it had been any other song, it probably would have been really, really uncomfortable. But I think this song was important enough to me and I believe in what it says enough that I’ll do whatever it takes to have it heard… It being the kind of song it is, and being as proud of it as I am, I think made the process not just worth it, but a little bit easier.”

“Hard Days,” touches upon the challenging times we all face, taking the good with the bad, but acknowledging hope and appreciating the difficult moments that lead to better outcomes.

“It’s been something that takes on a new meaning every day and it’s a song that I’m excited for everybody it hear,” Gilbert told The Voluntourist.

Vanessa Williams and John Stamos co-host the event, which honors those who serve, and while this year will be virtual, the show will go on. Gilbert can’t wait and is looking forward watching the American tradition.

“Being a part of it is lovely even though we’re not there in DC. It’s a special thing to be a part of and I’m excited to see it…This thing that we’re about to celebrate–freedom, it’s people out there sacrificing their lives and spending time away from their families. It’s something that I deeply appreciate. Freedom doesn’t stop. The people that preserving that freedom and fighting for it and dying for it, they’re not stopping so I don’t think we need to stop acknowledging them. United we stand, divided we fall. I think our freedom is one thing that unites us.”

The country star has done several USO tours to pay tribute to American troops and candidly confessed he wished he’d joined the military.

“It’s always something I look back on and feel like it’s something I should have done. I don’t think this is replacing that service, but it’s one way to give back. It is just infectious and addicting everytime we work with veterans or with active duty guys and girls. It’s a life changing experience. You learn something [from them] and it changes your perspective on a lot of things. As a husband and a father of two, I will take all the learning I can get.”

In addition, when Gilbert is touring, he teams up with the organization Farmer Veteran Coalition to purchase a selection of locally sourced food for his catering at each concert stop to highlight the importance of supporting local food in each community and to help boost local economies. The nonprofit also develops employment opportunities for veterans in agriculture and assists them in building skills to strengthen rural communities and to create financially sustainable long term full-time or part-time jobs.

“The things we’ve been blessed with aren’t things that I necessarily asked for. It was a lot bigger than I ever imagined and God gave me a whole lot more spotlight and platform than I’ll ever need. It’s important to all of us as a team and as a family to share that spotlight and platform with people who deserve it,” Gilbert said.

You can see Brantley Gilbert along with other incredible performances by John Fogerty, Trace Adkins, Vanessa Williams, Patti LaBelle and more on A Capitol Fourth.

The 40th annual broadcast airs on PBS Saturday, July 4, 2020 from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. ET, as well as to our troops serving around the world on the American Forces Network. The program can also be heard in stereo over NPR member stations nationwide. The concert will also be streaming on Facebook, YouTube and www.pbs.org/a-capitol-fourth and available as Video on Demand for a limited time only, July 4 to July 18, 2020.

July 3, 2020 admin

How Special Forces Officer Romulo Camargo, paralyzed in combat, gives back to other veterans

Romulo Camargo proves a paralyzing bullet can’t stop him from living life and giving back to others.

By: Heather Newgen

Romulo “Romy” Camargo always knew he’d serve his country and at 19 he joined the military where he spent most of his time in the Special Operations community with the 75th Ranger Regiment and 7th Special Forces Group. On his third deployment in Afghanistan, the Chief Warrant Officer volunteered to help deliver humanitarian aid to a local village after his mission was canceled. A mishap took place when the bucket loader they were using to repair roads flipped. ‘We had to destroy the bucket loader so it would be inoperable so the insurgents wouldn’t take the parts from it. Once we destroyed the bucket loader we were returning to base and that’s when we were ambushed,” Camargo told The Voluntourist.

The Green Beret was hit in the back of his neck. “Chief is down. Chief is down,” is all I remember hearing from that moment,” Camargo said. His medic rushed to him and performed an emergency tracheotomy in the middle of crossfire, while the other soldiers fought back against the insurgents. His team stabilized Camargo and he was medevaced to Germany, but nobody expected him to live.

12 years later, the highly decorated officer is not only alive, but giving back to wounded veterans. Camargo is paralyzed from the shoulders down, but that isn’t stopping him from living life and serving others.

He believes he’s been given a second chance at life and takes the opportunity to share his blessing with others. He started the non-profit Stay in Step, which is dedicated to helping people with spinal cord injuries. The facility is uniquely designed to focus on mental and physical well-being and to accommodate patients families.

His wife Gaby, whom he met in Venezuela when they were 12-years-old, has been by his side through it all, and the two have relied on their faith to cope with the sacrifices and life changes, which have helped make their family that much stronger.

Camargo’s story will be featured on the National Memorial Day Concert this Sunday on PBS, and The Voluntourist had the chance to talk with the couple.

Romulo Camargo Romulo and Gaby Camargo
Photo by Romy Camargo

The Voluntourist: You were first honored at the National Memorial Day Concert in 2015. What was that experience like for you?

Romulo Camargo: I couldn’t believe it. It was very humbling and it was an honor for us to be honored there in 2015. My medic was there, who did the emergency tracheotomy and my other teammate who rolled me over and called the medics was also there as well.

The Voluntourist: It must have been such a nice surprise to hear PBS is telling your story again this year.

Romulo Camargo: Yeah. So they’ll be retelling my story again. And when they told me it was an honor again. It was a blessing to be able to be honored in a concert, as big as the PBS National Memorial Day Concert is. I’m just glad to have my story out there and to be able to show the world what we can do, when to take adversity and change it into a good thing.

The Voluntourist: Is that what you want people to take away from your story?

The Voluntourist: Yes, ma’am. It’s how you take that adversity and change it into a good story of hope and strength and honoring commitment.

The Voluntourist: I understand you wanted to join the military after watching your brothers graduate from Airborne School. What was so significant about that event for you?

Romulo Camargo: I always looked up to my brothers. I thought it would be a perfect moment, that I decided to join the military as well, probably in their footsteps or whatnot.

The Voluntourist: How old were you when you joined?

Romulo Camargo: I was 19.

The Voluntourist: And you did three separate tours in Afghanistan?

Romulo Camargo: Yes, I was traveling extensively through Central and South America at first and then we went to Afghanistan in 2005, 2007, and 2008

The Voluntourist: 2008 is when the incident took place, correct?

Romulo Camargo: Yes, ma’am, we’re ambushed on September 16, 2008. I received a gunshot wound to the back of the head.

The Voluntourist: How old were you at that time?

Romulo Camargo: 33.

The Voluntourist: Can you take me back to the day of the ambush and explain what happened, to the best of your knowledge?

Romulo Camargo: So, we were conducting humanitarian mission down in Zabul province, Afghanistan and while we were conducting the mission, we were ambushed and while I was directing fires, I received the gunshot wound to the back of the head, right behind the ear and it hit my C3 vertebrae and I was paralyzed from the shoulders down, and then my medic came and did an emergency tracheotomy and got me breathing again. My team members came, packaged me up, put me on a medevac bird. [I went] from the battlefield to Kandahar, Kandahar to Bagram, Bagram to Germany, Germany to Walter Reed. All in three days.

The Voluntourist: And Gaby, take me back to the day that you were told about what happened.

Gaby Camargo: I received a phone call on September 16th, around 11:30 a.m. I wasn’t at home at that time and it was one of his teammates. He wasn’t deployed with Romulo. He was in Fort Bragg. So basically he was the one in charge. He was the one that Romulo told if something happened to me, you will be in charge with telling Gaby everything. So I received a phone call around 11:30 a.m, it was him and he was asking me if I was at home. I told him, “No, I’m not at home because I was buying some supplies for my birthday.” My birthday is on September 19th and that was September 16th. So as soon as I received the phone call, I had this weird feeling that I had at that moment. So I told him, “Is everything okay?” And he told me, “Yes, everything’s okay. I have a package for you from Romulo. So, I need to see you.” And I told him, “I’ll be back in 20 minutes.” And that’s how I did it. So when I got home, I would say 10 minutes later, someone was knocking on the door. And when I went to open the door, it was him and two other military people wearing the uniform, and of course, I was in shock. So after a few minutes, that I was crying and all of that, they told me what happened to Romulo. They told me he was running his team, they were ambushed and he was shot in the back of his head. And I was asking them, “How is he doing? Is he alive?” And they told me that they didn’t know. The only thing that they told me is they’re doing their best and we will keep you posted with everything. So they stayed with me, I would say, 30 minutes and then they left. After they left, 25 minutes later, I received another phone call and they told me, “He’s stable. We don’t know his condition, but at least he’s stable. And they are transferring him from a local hospital to a bigger hospital in Afghanistan.” And that was on September 16th. And then of course, like he just said, he arrived here in the States three days later, on my birthday, September 19th. So, he was my best gift.

The Voluntourist: Gaby, I understand that you felt like this situation was part of a bigger plan and that you could turn this around to help others. Romy did you feel the same?

Romulo Camargo: Well, once I was stable, I started talking to all the other wounded warriors, helping them out, and just taking them through what I went through and sitting down with them and talking about how the recovery process would be and give them some motivation, being there for them. Being an advocate for all the other wounded warriors that I came in contact with.

The Voluntourist: Is that how you came about starting your organization?

Romulo Camargo: Well, Gaby and I started talking about that because the system didn’t have anything in place in Tampa that provided long term free implementation that we provide. So Gaby and I went off in that venture with a couple of mentors. We created Stay In Steps brain and spinal cord injury recovery.

Gaby Camargo: Heather, let me compliment what Romulo just told you. Number one, he has been more than 18 months as an inpatient at the VA hospital here in Tampa. When we were there, it’s not that I want to talk about us, but we were very, very proactive. Always looking for new procedures, always looking for new resources available for him, and of course, family members. So that was Romy and I for 18 months. So after Romulo was discharged, of course my husband, he worked in the special operations community his whole life. So my husband, he wanted to do more in the system. Unfortunately, they weren’t prepared for that. We were looking for more options and in 2011, we’d be teaching in a STEM cells procedure. Romulo became the first active duty in the nation receiving a STEM cell transplant. When we come back from Europe because the procedure was done in Europe, in Lisbon, Portugal, when we came back, we were looking for an aggressive rehabilitation. So back then, he was doing rehab at the VA Tampa, but we needed something more. And that’s why we decided to look for new options, new rehab centers around the Tampa Bay area, we didn’t find any. And we found one in Orlando. So we decided, let’s go to Orlando twice a week so you can conduct therapy in Orlando and at the same time, you will be doing therapy here at the VA. So basically he was doing therapy five days a week, intense in Orlando two days and three days here in Tampa. But we did it for two and a half years, but I would say after the first six months I told Romulo, we have to be realistic. This is a lifetime for you, we need to do something here in Tampa. There’s a gap in the health care system in Tampa, let’s do something about it. Tampa, we have one of the biggest base in the country, which is Macdill, we’re still fighting a war, Afghanistan, Iran, more wounded warriors are coming back home and the system is not prepared for them. So we decided to do something about it and it took us a year and a half to raise the funds and open the center. Our motivation, basically was to see that the health care system wasn’t offering them everything that they needed. My husband is a warrior and he will be a soldier forever. So basically the system, it was limiting him, what options can I do, you know? So that’s why we decided to do something about it.

The Voluntourist: Can you both talk about how your faith has played a part in this situation?

Gaby Camargo: Heather, that’s everything. Let’s put it like that. If I go back to the first day they told me this is what happened to Romulo. Well, you can imagine, when they told me that I was crying, but after a few minutes I told them, “Look, I believe in the Lord and you will see my husband will be my best gift.” And he was. So faith, for Romy and I, is everything. That’s our motivation to get up every morning knowing that something good is going to happen. That every time that we have our moments, that we feel down, that we have been seeing the same thing, the same picture for 11 years. But then you get up the next morning, you remember the scripture and everything that we have been learning through the years and that’s our motivation to keep moving forward. I’m a lawyer in my country. I’m an attorney in Venezuela. Romulo is the military, but the reality is that your background, career doesn’t matter. When you live something like this, in reality like this one. Every day, that doesn’t matter. It’s all about faith and hope. That’s your gas. There’s no way that you can overcome any adversity in life if you don’t have God. That’s the way that I see it.

Romulo Camargo: I would say I wasn’t really a believer until I got shot that day. The Lord Jesus Christ brought me down to my knees. I started believing more and with Gaby we’ve put that in our lifestyle ever since I got shot. For me, it has has given me the strength to be able to have handled it for the last 12 years and being able to share with some of our clients that go to Stay in Step. So for me it’s really helpful.

The Voluntourist: Romy, what’s been the hardest part of all of this for you?

Romulo Camargo: The hardest part is just trying to see, just being there, trying to see movement and just keeping on, keep going hundred percent towards my rehab. Being able to be here for my family, my children. Just being here and trying to keep doing physical therapy three to four times a week and just keep going, keep going that constant.

The Voluntourist: A lot of people would have given up. To be told that you’re going to be paralyzed for the rest of your life and things are going to be a lot different from now on. A lot of people would have given up, but what makes you keep going?

Romulo Camargo: You make it a lifestyle. And being a C3, which is one of the highest level of cervical injury that we’ll be able to be out and about without a ventilator and whatnot. I just have to keep going and keep pushing myself just to stay healthy and to keep the lifestyle that I’ve been living for the last 12 years. I’ve got to be here for my family, I have to be a husband, a father, a brother, a teammate. So, that’s what keeps me going. And the Lord Jesus Christ keeps giving me that strength to keep going and doing what I’ve been doing for the last 12 years.

To see more of Camargo’s story, watch the 2020 National Memorial Day Concert Sunday, May 24 at 8/7c on PBS.

May 23, 2020 admin

Exclusive: Trace Adkins on honoring veterans and performing at the National Memorial Day Concert

Country star Trace Adkins will perform at the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS for his fifth time and reveals how this year will be different due to COVID-19, but equally as meaningful and celebratory in honoring veterans.

By Heather Newgen

Trace Adkins isn’t letting quarantine restrictions deter his support for the troops. The National Memorial Day Concert is one of PBS’ highest rated shows and will go on as scheduled, but with a few noticeable changes. The event draws hundreds of thousands of people to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building, but this year the tributes and performances will be filmed separately in accordance with social distancing guidelines–something Adkins didn’t mind.

“For me, it was less of a challenge than it has been in the past because there was no live audience and if I screwed up I got to do it over again. In the past I walked out on stage to 200,000 people, so it’s like being in a pressure cooker. This time it was way easier,” he laughed.

But that doesn’t mean the three-time Grammy nominee didn’t miss the fans.

“It was very strange. I got on top of a building with the Capitol Dome in the background and we had a skeleton camera crew. They played the tracks and I sang. It was surreal. I looked down and there was literally nobody there. This is my fifth time performing at the Memorial Day Concert. Every year that I’ve performed you walk out and there’s the orchestra and thousands of people in front of you. It’s awesome and just an awe-inspiring setting. This time it was different, but still I think we approached it with the same reverence and the same tone. Hopefully this show will remind people what this holiday is about. It’s about the most important holiday because if it wasn’t for this one, we wouldn’t be able to celebrate all the other ones. That’s the goal we had going into this and hopefully this will help remind people they should take a moment and pay tribute to the people who have sacrificed so much for us,” he exclusively told The Voluntourist.

Adkins has always advocated for veterans and is happy to celebrate them every chance he gets.

“I was thrilled to be asked to be a part of this. I was really happy they were going forward with it and going to do the show. It’s always a privilege and the highlight of my year to be part of this show. This year, I think especially. It provides some perspective. We’re going through a strange time but there have been generations before us who have been asked to sacrifice way more than we’re being asked to sacrifice. The times have been tougher on a much bigger scale and I think we need to be reminded of that. This too shall pass.”

He added, “It’s always been a privilege to work with veteran organizations and it’s really been the most meaningful thing that I’ve done in my career. I don’t expect to stop doing it.”

A few weeks ago Trace Adkins dropped his new single “Better Off,” which has already garnered over two million streams. But, don’t expect to see him perform it on the National Memorial Day Concert.

“It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go out there and do my new single. I did “Still A Soldier” and “Til the Sun Comes Up.” I think those songs hit the right notes and help people get the right frame of mind for this Memorial Day weekend.”

The National Memorial Day Concert will air on PBS Sunday, May 24 at 7 p.m. CT. The concert also will stream on Facebook, YouTube and pbs.org.

May 22, 2020 admin

Gary Sinise on taking a break from Hollywood and advocating for U.S. Troops

On Monday we pause to honor the selfless men and women who fight to keep the United States safe, but Gary Sinise doesn’t just honor the U.S. Armed Forces on Veterans Day, he’s been celebrating them for decades. 25 years ago the actor played the iconic role of Lt. Dan Taylor — a platoon leader who loses his legs in the Vietnam War and struggles with alcoholism and mental illness in the Oscar- winning film Forrest Gump. Since then the actor has dedicated his life to serving U.S. military veterans and their families.

By: Heather Newgen | Twitter: @hnvoluntourist

In an exclusive sit down interview with The Voluntourist, Gary Sinise talks about his passion for helping veterans, his Lt. Dan Band and how Forrest Gump was not only a career changer, but sparked his commitment to supporting the Armed Forces.

WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 27: Co-host Gary Sinise and Silver Star recipient Leigh Ann Hester pose for photo during the finale of the 2018 National Memorial Day Concert at U.S. Capitol, West Lawn on May 27, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Capital Concerts)

The Voluntourist: You’ve hosted the National Memorial Day Concert for thirteen years now. Why is the event important for you to be a part of?

Gary Sinise: 2005 was my first year. I was doing USO tours and I had been on several handshake tours, that is when I just go out and shake hands, take pictures, and visit with the troops. Then I started taking the band and we’ve done some tours to Asia and around the States. I was doing quite a bit and Joe Mantegna, my buddy, knew about that and he was involved with the concert a few years before that. He invited me to come do a segment on the USO. They were planning to highlight the USO in one of their segments and so he said “come and play and you will be a part of that segment”. We brought the band here and the band was very early. We started playing our first things in 2003, but we really ramped it up in 2004. Next thing you know, we are overseas and on a USO tour to Europe. It was our first tour to Germany, Belgium, the UK, and the Netherlands. Then we had arranged to come straight here to be a part of the National Memorial Day Concert. It’s a huge crowd and it’s televised and we were very early in our evolution there. Being up on stage with all those people and everything was really something special. They also asked me, as long as I was coming, to narrate some segments throughout the show. So, I played and then I went on and I narrated things and got off and talked and was a part of the show as an actor. The following year, Joe and Jerry Colbert, who were producing, asked me to come back and co-host.

WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 29: Actors and co-hosts Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna onstage at the 27th National Memorial Day Concert on May 29, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Capitol Concerts)

The Voluntourist: You and Joe go way back. You’ve been friends since Chicago Theatre days, right?

Gary Sinise: We were acquaintances then. We became friends, real serious buddies, after we started working together. We were acquaintances, we knew each other from the Chicago stuff, we did a movie together back in the late 90s. It was the National Memorial Day Concert and my coming and spending time that kind of galvanized our relationship and really began to solidify. Joe is a big military supporter and I’m out there doing things, so I asked him to become an ambassador for my foundation, which he did. So he will do events with us and things like that whenever he can support. He’s been on “Criminal Minds” for a long time, so during the shooting season his time is limited. We have done various things together. This is our big weekend that we spend together every year.

The Voluntourist: You’ve done so many great TV shows and movies, but the last few years you haven’t been acting as much. Is that so you can focus more on your foundation and your work for the military?

Gary Sinise: It is a blessing to be able to say that because I’ve had some success on television, and if I hadn’t had that, the pressure would be on a lot more to go out there and continue pounding the pavement as an actor. I had a successful television series and then another couple years on “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.” Both “CSI: New York” and “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders” put me in this place where I am financially secure and I can devote some of those resources to building this service mission, which is something I am very devoted to. I have a lot of veterans in my family. I’ve been around our wounded veterans for many years going back to the “Forrest Gump” days. I’ve supported Vietnam vets going back in the 80s. I’ve got Vietnam veterans in my family and in WWII, and on and on and on. After September 11th, I felt called to a mission of service and, shortly after that, I was handed this television series that gave me all kinds of resources that I could devote to this mission. So now, “Criminal Minds” went off the air in December 2016. Much like in between “CSI: New York” and “Criminal Minds” when I had two and a half years, I just devoted all that time to the foundation and my military service mission. That’s what I’m doing, traveling all around, trying to raise money and raise awareness, and trying to keep spirits up.

The Voluntourist: A lot of people in your position would not necessarily dedicate them to the activism, so why is that so important for you?

Gary Sinise: I’ve just met extraordinary people over the years who have inspired me and motivated me and taught me. I’ve learned so much from a lot of different people and I saw on that terrible day, that we all faced as a nation, our country kind of come together in response to that. Part of that was young men and women signing up to deploy to the war zone of Iraq and Afghanistan and they started getting hurt, they started getting killed. Having Vietnam veterans in my family and remembering what it was like for them to deploy to a war zone and come home to a nation that didn’t treat them very well and turn its back on them. It troubled me to think that we would face this terrible attack on our country, and we would be going into the 21st century war on terror and our defenders would not be taken care of. I wanted them to know that I supported them, so I just started going everywhere I could to make sure that they knew that. I started to raise my hand to support many military charities out there that are trying to help in many different ways, and getting involved in events that were raising awareness, much like the National Memorial Day Concert, which is a fantastic form to highlight and spotlight the sacrifices of our defenders. I just started doing that so much that it became clear that I should start my own foundation and over the years as that has all accumulated. It is clear that I feel somewhat called to this mission and that the resources that I’ve been given, the blessings I’ve been given of this nice career that I’ve had and the financial security that that’s provided me. There is a reason for it, beyond just spending it on myself and taking care of my family of course, which is a priority. But I’ve got plenty to do that and I’ve been able to devote a lot of those resources to creating a foundation. I’ve been able to go places where most Americans never would get to go, to the war zones and different places like that and see our military in action, so that I can come back and talk as an educated person about what they do and why we should support them. Having done that so much, it feels like that’s where my life is right now, and I need to continue to serve in some way. It doesn’t mean that I won’t act again. Right now, I’ve been blessed with a lot of good fortune and it is nice to be able to do something positive with it.

The Voluntourist: I know that the band is named after your character in Forrest Gump, but where did that idea come from?

Gary Sinise: When I started visiting our troops after September 11th in the war zones through the USO, this was prior to CSI: New York. I had done a fair number of films, but I was still kind of one of those faces that you recognize, and you’ve seen in movies before, but you are not sure what the name is. When folks would recognize me in the war zones and places like that, they would recognize me as Lt. Dan and would see that face. “Lt. Dan you’ve got legs” and start making jokes. I thought when I got the band going, I don’t want to see “Gary Sinise’s Band”. Well, who is Gary Sinise? I thought if I put Lt. Dan Band in there, they would kind of put it together. When I put Gary Sinise and Lt. Dan Band, they would kind of put two and two together and figure out “oh, it’s the real Lt. Dan who is coming to play for us.” Now, we play hundreds of shows for the men and women who serve our country, and our first responders. We play hospitals and on and on. We are well known within the military community for sure, because we have played on dozens of dozens of bases all around the world. I meet people who have seen us five times on different military bases. Now they know who Gary Sinise is and my television series was on for eleven years, so we don’t have the same issue with people wondering who that is. I think early on, it made real good sense and the other reason is that that character represents something positive to our military folks. The story of Lt. Dan is really a great story, it is a resilient story, a story that had not been told about our Vietnam veterans up until that point. This is 1994 when the movie came out. Prior to that, there were Vietnam movies that had come out, but all the Vietnam veterans that were being portrayed in those movies were going through a lot of serious depression and things were not going well. At the end of the film, you would always wonder if those guys were going to be okay. At the end of Forrest Gump, you know Lt. Dan is okay. That is what we want. We want our soldiers to come home from war and move on with their lives and be successful and have businesses and do alright. We’ve never seen that story before of a Vietnam veteran. It’s a resilient story, it’s a positive story, and that’s the story they [troops] want. If they get out the service, they want to know there is life after their service, and there is a good life ahead and that’s one of the nice things I like about the story; that he is okay in the end.

The Voluntourist: When did you realize he was going to be such a huge positive impact on the community?

Gary Sinise: The movie was so popular in 1994 and that changed a lot of things for me as an actor. I hadn’t done that many movies prior to Forrest Gump. I’d only done a few, so nobody knew who I was at that point. But I got a call from the Disabled American Veterans organization, the DAV, about four weeks after the movie came out. The DAV have 1.5 million disabled veterans that are a part of that organization and, at that time, they were going all the way back to WWII. These are wounded guys and gals who were banged up in service and they were a part of the DAV organization. I didn’t know anything about them, but they’ve been around for ninety years or something like that. They contacted me and invited me to come to their national convention. They wanted to give me an award for playing Lt. Dan. I walked out on stage and there were 2,000 wounded veterans in the audience, and they were all clapping and applauding and everything. I realized at that time, this character represents something really positive to them. That’s why they have asked me to come to their national convention. They gave me their National Commanders Award for playing an injured veteran in a positive way and bringing the wounded veteran back into the consciousness of the American people. When you think about that, why should we have to bring the wounded veteran back into the consciousness of the American people? They aren’t always at the forefront of our thinking. They serve, they get banged up, and they disappear. Lt. Dan sort of brought them back. In some way they felt that Lt. Dan and the positive story was bringing that wounded soldier, their stories, to life in a positive way. I realized that for our veteran community, at that time, this character was bigger than just a movie part I was playing. This was their story and it has been that way ever since.

November 10, 2019 admin

How Stars Honored American Heroes and Fallen Soldiers at the PBS National Memorial Day Concert

Whether they fought on the beaches of Normandy, battled in the jungles of Vietnam, stormed the sands of Iraq, the mountains of Afghanistan or the harsh Korean terrain, Memorial Day gives us a chance to pause and recognize all of the men and women who selflessly sacrificed for our freedom. For the last 30 years, the award-winning PBS National Memorial Day Concert has paid special tribute to American veterans, and has become the favorite annual tradition for locals to attend and millions to watch.

By: Heather Newgen

The 90-minute patriotic show is held on the West Lawn of the Capitol Building in Washington D.C., and includes dramatic readings from Hollywood’s finest stars retelling the experiences of soldiers, standout performances by top artists and American heroes getting well deserved recognition. The event perfectly blends celebration with reflection, and every branch of the military is beautifully honored with their armed service songs played by the National Symphony Orchestra led by Jack Everly.

Tony Award-winner Joe Mantegna and Tony Award-nominated actress Mary McCormack co-hosted this year’s annual event. The “West-Wing” star has appeared on the broadcast for the last two years to share the stories of Gold Star families and Silver Star recipients, but stepped in for Gary Sinise, who has been a longtime host with Mantegna, but couldn’t participate this year “due to circumstances beyond his control.”

“I’m excited. It’s a real honor. I love being part of the show,” McCormack told The Voluntourist. “I would come and set up chairs or put out snacks [just to be a part of it]. I’m a stalker of the show. It’s so moving. It’s impossible not to get swept up in it.”

For Mantegna, he’s been involved for almost two decades now with the PBS National Memorial Day Concert and says it’s the most important thing he does of the year.

“I’ve had a good life and I know it came on the backs of a lot of other people. Freedom isn’t free. People paid a great price.”

In addition to his hosting duties, the “Criminal Minds” actor teamed up with his buddy Dennis Haysbert to tell the journey of Vietnam veterans Brad Kennedy and Ernest “Pete” Peterson who were reunited five years ago.

WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 26: Acclaimed actor Dennis Haysbert (L) and Tony Award-winner Joe Mantegna (R) onstage at the 2019 National Memorial Day Concert at U.S. Capitol, West Lawn on May 26, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Capital Concerts Inc.)[/caption]

“To be able to tell this incredible story with Dennis of these two men who are friends, as Dennis and I are friends, in a way it makes me realize that the kind of friendship that we have didn’t have to go through the trials and tribulations, pain and suffering that these guys did. Our job is to do the best recounting of history as possible.”

Haysbert added, “I’ve known Joe for years and we’re both very sensitive individuals. We take the text and break it down in a very serious and emotional way. It’s special. I cried like a baby [when I heard their story] It’s an incredible honor and a privilege to be able to tell these stories. They want to tell these stories and the American people need to hear it.”

Oscar-nominated actor Sam Elliott was also on hand at the 30th PBS National Memorial Day Concert. “The Ranch” star told the story of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Ray Lambert who saved countless lives on D-Day.

“I’ve watched this thing for a number of years on television since Ossie Davis was hosting. I’ve known several men over the years who have been in the heart of combat and it’s always touched me to hear those kind of encounters. We civilians rarely get an opportunity to hear those encounters. When I read the story I was totally taken by it. I’m honored to say his words and tell his tale.”

WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 26: Academy Award-nominated actor Sam Elliott (L) greets 98-year-old Ray Lambert, highly-decorated WWII combat medic who landed on Omaha Beach during D-Day, at the 2019 National Memorial Day Concert at U.S. Capitol, West Lawn on May 26, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Capital Concerts Inc.)[/caption]

Gold Star Wife Ursula Palmer was an honoree as well at this year’s PBS National Memorial Day Concert for the inspiring ways she gave back to others while coping with the death of her husband Army Sergeant First Class Collin Bowen.

“Station 19” actress Jaina Lee Ortiz told her emotional journey of overcoming inconsolable anguish and finding happiness after tragedy.

“It’s a very challenging story to tell because you can’t help but imagine what her experiences were. Just to be in her shoes for those three minutes is heartbreaking, but also inspiring. I admire her strength and her will to move forward and continue living life. It’s something that you don’t ever forget, It stays with you forever. It’s a story I think everyone should hear. Hopefully it touches people.”

WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 26: Television star Jaina Lee Ortiz onstage at the 2019 National Memorial Day Concert at U.S. Capitol, West Lawn on May 26, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Capital Concerts Inc.)

Ortiz continued, “My mom passed this past November. They say grief is a gift and it’s one of the gifts that I can use telling this story. [I’m using those emotions to draw on for, but] also imagination. Having been in love and having been married, just imagine your soul mate going off and possibly never seeing him again. That’s got to be something that eats at your every day.”

All-star musicians Patti LaBelle, Gavin DeGraw, Justin Moore, Amber Riley, and Tony-nominated Hamilton star Christopher Jackson performed, and “American Idol” contestant Alyssa Rahgu kicked things off with the National Anthem.

Watch the PBS National Memorial Day Concert here or watch on Demand until June 9, 2019.

May 30, 2019 admin Leave a comment

Just voluntourist