ARLINGTON, Va. (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Actor, director and producer Gary Sinise will soon depart for the Persian Gulf on his 18th USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour to visit service members in the region. Currently starring in the hit CBS series "CSI: New York," Sinise also is known to troops as Lt. Dan in "Forrest Gump."
A long-time supporter of service members and veterans, Sinise was among a host of celebrities on the USO's first tour to Baghdad in June 2003. His other tours include visits to troops in Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Korea, Germany, the Netherlands, England, Italy and Diego Garcia. Sinise also often tours with the Lt. Dan Band, performing concerts overseas and at military bases in the United States, most recently at Twentynine Palms, Calif., and Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.
Following his second USO tour to Iraq, where he visited with school children, Sinise co-founded Operation Iraqi Children, which provides educational materials to students in Iraq through the generosity of the American people.
This tour continues the USO/AFE tradition of bringing entertainment to troops stationed far from home. A number of entertainers have made trips for the USO this year, including country music duo Montgomery Gentry, Grammy Award-winning band La Mafia and Jeff Foxworthy. NFL players Bryce Fisher, Patrick Kerney and Max Starks also recently returned from a USO tour, marking the NFL's 40th year of partnership with the USO.
