--:-- John Bickley: Welcome to Morning Wire, I'm Editor-in-Chief John Bickley, and I'm joined today by my co-host Georgia Howe.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for having me, John.
--:-- John Bickley: Today, we're joined by Academy Award-nominated actor and philanthropist Gary Sinise. Gary, thank you so much for joining us.
--:-- Gary Sinise: It's my pleasure. Thank you.
--:-- John Bickley: First, we want to talk about this event that you're headlining and organizing, the Welcome Home, a Celebration of Vietnam Veterans Memorial Day concert. Can you tell us what you've got planned?
--:-- Gary Sinise: Yeah, John. Well, thanks. Thanks for having me on. I am the co-host for the National Memorial Day concert each year with Joe Mantegna, and we've been doing that now since 2005. This year on the National Memorial Day concert, we'll be featuring 11 prisoners of war from the Vietnam War. This is the 50th anniversary of the end of combat operations in Vietnam, 50th anniversary of our POWs coming home. We're featuring them on the Memorial Day concert. But I wanted to do something special while I'm in D.C. So we are putting together a big concert at Constitution Hall on May 26th.
--:-- Georgia Howe: It sounds like a great lineup you've got there. Vietnam veterans in particular have really endured a lot and came back to even some persecution. Have you found in your work that they are in particular need of recognition?
--:-- Gary Sinise: Well, they always are. All our veterans are, I believe. These are our defenders. But when our Vietnam veterans came home back in the 60s and 70s, it was a very, very divided time in our nation. Our nation really turned its back on the veteran at that time. We thankfully have learned some valuable lessons from that that are being applied today to our Afghanistan and Iraq veterans, as many people have taken up the charge to make sure that what happened to our Vietnam veterans when they came home doesn't happen again to somebody serving our country.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Now, this event is one of the many projects you're leading the way on. The Gary Sinise Foundation does so much to serve veterans. Can you tell us about some of the projects you're involved in and what's inspired you to dedicate your life to this mission?
--:-- Gary Sinise: Gosh, we have so many different things going on, so many programs, so many initiatives. A lot of what we do is based on what I was doing before I had the foundation. I've been involved with supporting and helping veterans for many, many years and supported a lot of different military charities, nonprofits out there, the USO and Hope for the Warriors and Semper Fi Fund and the DAV, Disabled American Veterans, and so many different organizations over the years that eventually became very, very clear. And this happened very actively after September 11th. The seeds were planted in the 80s and 90s. But after the attack on our country on September 11th, I just I wanted to do more. And so I raised my hand for a lot of nonprofits that were in the military and veteran support space, including our first responders and their service to our country.
--:-- John Bickley: Now, you mentioned giving away a home last week. One of your projects, the RISE program, has given away over 80 homes, correct?
--:-- Gary Sinise: Yeah, actually, just last week, we gave away our 83rd home in Florida. So we build these smart technology, mortgage-free, special smart homes that really address the needs of somebody who's been severely injured in service, missing limbs, traumatic brain injuries, burns. And we build these smart technology homes that has all kinds of things in there to help provide more independence for the person who has been injured. And that, of course, provides more independence for the family who's there to care for them.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Final question for those who are interested in learning more about the various initiatives you're leading, where should they go?
--:-- Gary Sinise: I encourage people to go to GarySiniseFoundation.org. And one thing I always encourage people to do is to go on our YouTube channel. Scroll down to the bottom of the homepage. You'll see our YouTube channel. Click on that. You'll see dozens of videos, very beautiful videos that show our programs in action. They introduce you to the people that we're helping. It really is a good way to see exactly what we're doing out there.
--:-- John Bickley: Well, Gary, again, we, like so many others, really appreciate all you're doing for our veterans. Thank you so much for joining us.
--:-- Gary Sinise: Well, thank you. You guys are doing great work. Thanks for having me on.
