Gary Sinise

“I go into military communities and do fundraisers and that kind of thing with the band, because I know that the music can help do a lot of things. It can bring communities together, it can raise awareness... and it entertains.”

“If you're missing three or four limbs, you have special challenges going forward. And the last thing you want is to not be independent in your home.”

“My mission is to support our service members. They're volunteers, and if they're going to go to a hostile place like Afghanistan, I think we owe it to them to back them up and try to help them get through it.”

“Being able to act for a living is a blessing. I have a great theater company that's almost 40 years old.”

“I started a theater called Steppenwolf. We've been very supportive of the veterans there.”

“I think you're lucky if you discover what you really love at a young age. College wasn't something I was going to do. I wanted to keep acting, and I didn't want to go to New York or California and pound the pavement.”

“The University of Southern California has a wonderful social work department, and I was thrilled to find out that they have a whole veterans' initiative program there. They approached me, and I set up a scholarship that would go to a military-oriented person to learn techniques and skills to better help veterans.”

“I study to learn, to be an educated person.”

“Yeah, I volunteered to support the troops, and get out there and show them that we care about them.”

“I've worked with a lot of really fine actors, both on stage and on screen. The level of their game lifts me up and brings the level of my game up to theirs. Always. It's like a constant upgrade.”

“I've never had to compromise myself for a job, ever.”

“I played a character in 'Ransom' who was as evil as they come.”

“I have a band that I started with a buddy of mine, a Vietnam veteran pal named Kimo Williams from Chicago.”

“Careers, like rockets, don't always take off on time. The trick is to always keep the engine running.”

“I've directed enough in the theatre and a couple of films to know that - to feel fairly secure that if I find a story that I really like I can probably get it done somewhat.”

“The chance to play a romantic character who kisses somebody onscreen was one of the elements that made me want to do 'The Stand.' The more you can do, the better, and I've been known as a character actor.”

“You learn from things that don't go well, and you try to capitalize when they do. You build on those strengths and try to make your weaknesses stronger.”

“I have veterans in my family. But I didn't know anything about DAV, Disabled American Veterans.”

“I started as an actor. I started directing because Steppenwolf needed another strong director.”

“I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out in the Afghan desert with 70 pounds on my back, away from my family for a year at a time. I keep a good perspective on it.”