Actor Gary Sinise Receives Second Highest Civilian Honor Available
"I meet a lot of people who are very, very dedicated and who are willing to make sacrifices that?quite frankly?most of us aren't willing to make. It's a very, very small percentage of citizens of this country that go out and defend it."
Last week, President George W. Bush awarded actor Gary Sinise, the second highest civilian honor?the Presidential Citizens Medal?for his extensive work on behalf of US troops and Iraqi children.
According to the FOX News report, the medal is given only to "citizens who provide exemplary service to their nation."
In 2004, Sinise put together a group to entertain troops overseas.
"It was a little bit surreal," said Sinise, "I had 13 of my family members there? we walked into the Oval Office, and there was the President and the First Lady to greet us. He read the citation, and I stood with the President and he presented me with the medal. It went by all too quickly, but it was a wonderful honor."
"They were giving me this medal for supporting charity work, doing humanitarian things, and supporting the troops," continued Sinise, "but really, the reward I get for doing that is seeing people light up and have a good time when I show up and play some music for them."
Gary Sinise, along with Laura Hillenbrand (author of Seabiscuit), began the humanitarian organization Operation Iraqi Children, which sends donated school supplies to US troops in Iraq to pass out to schoolchildren there.
Regarding his experience with the troops, Gary added, "For people who don't know anything about our military; it's really a great representation of this country. You meet all kinds of people from all walks of life, from various places around this country and from around the world who want to become American citizens and serve the United States. I meet a lot of people who are very, very dedicated and who are willing to make sacrifices that?quite frankly?most of us aren't willing to make. It's a very, very small percentage of citizens of this country that go out and defend it."
Charles (Chuck) Colson was also given the Presidential Citizens Medal, for founding and working with Prison Fellowship?the organization that conducts outreaches to prisoners, former prisoners, crime victims, and their families.
