Above / Operation Support Our Troops hosts of Rockin’ for the Troops 2015 this Sat., July 18, at Cantigny Park. Gary Sinise again will take the stage with the Lt. Dan Band. (Photo by James Hoch Photography)
UPDATE July 15, 2015 / Operation Support Our Troops hosts Rockin’ for the Troops 2015 on Sat., July 18, 2015, featuring the Lt. Dan Band, The Voices, Maggie Speaks and the Chicago Blues Allstars. The day-long festival at Cantigny Park in Wheaton includes much more, too.
The annual event also presents children’s activities, food and beverage vendors, as well as patriotic items for sale. Rockin’ for the Troops proceeds, since inception, have totaled over $3 million and have contributed to military and family support programs for OSOT-America and numerous other organizations.
Tickets are still $25 online and at local Jewel-Osco locations. Each $25 admission ticket pays the shipping costs for one of OSOT-America’s comfort packages being sent to U.S. military service member serving in harm’s way, or contributes toward the funding of other OSOT-America’s programs.
Original Dr. Music Post Aug. 5, 2014 / Aside from starring in the CBS crime drama CSI:NY and Oscar-winning films like Forrest Gump and Apollo 13, Gary Sinise has been an advocate of America’s veterans for more than 30 years. His support of dozens of veterans’ charities and the tireless efforts of his own Gary Sinise Foundation has made him a powerful figure to U.S. military personnel everywhere.
Sinise, a bass player since the 7th grade, and his Lt. Dan Band recently performed a fun set of popular favorites for the “Rockin’ For The Troops” event at Cantigny Park in Wheaton.
Sinise has performed and raised money for this event eight out of the past nine years. Just prior to the 2014 concert, I had an opportunity to speak to Gary Sinise on the phone and he was very expressive about his passion for the veterans and his feelings there is more work to be done.
“Even though the war is off the front page, we still have thousands that are deployed,” he said. “We still have many in the hospitals going through rehabilitation. We still have many that are trying to figure out what their lives are with these new injuries. We have many children that have lost a parent, and they’re going through residual effects of that and what that grief can do.”
Sinise continued, “Our organizations are out there trying to make sure the services are there for these folks that have sacrificed in these wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.”
Because of his relentless dedication, Sinise has been named an honorary Chief Petty Officer for the U.S. Navy and an honorary U.S. Marine. It seems that his role as Lt. Dan in the now legendary film Forrest Gump was not only art imitating life, but perhaps art becoming life.
Photo by James Hoch Photography
For more information about Operation Support Our Troops America, visit www.osotamerica.org. Thank you.
For more information about the efforts of Gary Sinise via the Gary Sinise Foundation, visit www.garysinisefoundation.org/.
