Hollywood Star Honors Hudson Valley Veterans with Live Performance

The Hudson Valley does a pretty good job of recognizing and saluting local veterans year round, not just on holidays. There are Hometown Hero banners in several towns across the area, Veteran's programs that provide assistance, and special events for our local heroes.

Recently, a group of Hudson Valley Veterans traveled to a conference in New Jersey and were treated to a performance from a very special, and well-known celebrity guest who puts the needs of veterans at the forefront of much of his work.

Castle Point Disabled American Veterans Attend National Convention

The Disabled American Veterans is a nation-wide group that provides support and assistance to veterans and their families, advocates for members of the veteran community, and they are quite active in the communities in which they are based.

We provide free, professional assistance to more than 1 million veterans every year to connect them with the healthcare, disability, employment, education and financial benefits they have earned through military service.

This year, the DAV national convention was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, from August 5th through the 8th, and brought 4,000 veterans and their families together for workshops, social events, finance seminars, awards, and a very special performance on the night before the convention closed.

Gary Sinise's Lt. Dan Band Performs For Hudson Valley Veterans

On Monday August 7th, convention attendees were treated to a special performance as Gary Sinise & the Lt. Dan Band performed for a packed house of veterans and their guests.

Bringing 'honor, gratitude and rock' back to our military community, Sinise and his bandmates have been touring and bringing smiles to veterans faces for nearly 20 years.

Back in 2003, Sinise began working to support the USO, eventually asking the USO if they would allow him to take a band with him on a tour, and the following year, the Lt. Dan Band made their first formal appearance.

Eventually, Sinise formed his own military based charity called the Gary Sinise Foundation, and the Lt. Dan Band was incorporated into the charity, providing support for military and veterans with the following mission: Honor, Gratitude, Rock and Roll. Since then, they've appeared at more than 300 performances; 'Sinise and the band have played an average of 30-40 shows per year with a good 95% of those shows for USO, military charities, resiliency events or benefits.'

Of course, Lt. Dan comes from the character Sinise played in Forest Gump. You can learn more about the Gary Sinise Foundation and the Lt. Dan Band here.