Lt. Dan Turns 20

Lt. Dan Turns 20 Decades after recognition, Gary Sinise uses celebrity to support veterans. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of “Forrest Gump.” The 1994 film, starring Tom Hanks as the title character, tells the story of a boy who leads an extraordinary life and witnesses many key moments in history. As a soldier in the Vietnam War, Forrest Gump saves the lives of many in his platoon, including its commander, 1stLt. Dan Taylor. Played by Gary Sinise, Taylor’s character was intent on following every one of his ancestors who had died in battle in previous American wars. Besides being cheated of his “destiny” of a combat death, Lt. Dan becomes a double amputee as a result of the war. Embittered about his life as a disabled veteran, he turns to alcohol to ease his suffering. As the journeys of Lt. Dan and Forrest Gump become intertwined, Sinise powerfully portrays a young man who moves beyond despondency and hopelessness to regain his will to live. Lt. Dan becomes a successful businessman, gets engaged to his girlfriend and walks on titanium legs, which Forrest calls “magic legs.” “At the time, we’d spent years being inundated with films about Vietnam, and there wasn’t a real consensus among veterans about any one film,” said Arthur H. Wilson, who was appointed National Adjutant the year before the film’s release. “The movie didn’t critique Vietnam veterans or the war; it showed the sacrifices they made and the important role they played in ensuring they didn’t leave their own behind.” For his role as a combat-wounded veteran, Sinise was invited to the 1994 DAV National Convention in Chicago, where then- National Commander Richard Marbes presented him with the DAV National Commander’s Award. “We’ll never forget the anger of the character you played as he begins to understand the implications that his injuries hold for the rest of his life. Nor will we forget that character’s heroic struggle to rise above that anger to become not only a successful, but an unequivocally good human being,” Marbes said. “I remember walking up onto the stage and meeting the National Commander. He was missing one leg and standing on crutches. And I remember looking out into the audience, and the room was filled with disabled veterans. Everybody who could stand was giving me a standing ovation for playing a wounded veteran. I just will never forget the emotion that swept over me at that moment,” the actor recalled. Though Sinise had been involved in supporting Vietnam veterans since hosting a Vets’ Night in the 1980s to offer free performances at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, he often credits DAV’s recognition at the 1994 Convention as the start of a lifelong push to publicly honor our nation’s heroes. Shortly after receiving the award, he lent his voice and likeness to DAV public service announcements, narrated important films such as “March of the Bonus Army” and supported many other initiatives. “CSI: NY,” which starred Sinise as disabled Marine veteran Mac Taylor, ended its nine-year, prime-time run in 2013. This gave Sinise more time to dedicate to his charity, the Gary Sinise Foundation, and the other causes he loves. As the national spokesperson for the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, Sinise is looking forward to the dedication in October, but he is still concerned that the sacrifices of those who served will be forgotten. “It’s inspiring to think of how much he has accomplished over the last two decades, and it’s amazing for those who know Gary to see how genuinely passionate he is about his support of veterans,” said DAV National Adjutant Marc Burgess. “The public sees the big things he does—the concerts and homes he has built—but most people don’t see the behind-the-scenes work he does to help the veterans he meets or how he uses his fame and connections to meet unmet needs.” Sinise said he looks forward to continuing his support of DAV and lauds the organization’s history. “DAV has been for over 90 years an active, critical advocate for our wounded service members,” he said. “You would not be around for 90 years if you weren’t being effective.”.

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