Washington -- Actor Gary Sinise, who played the wheelchair-bound Vietnam veteran Lt. Dan in the movie "Forrest Gump," will be an honorary marshal in this year's National Memorial Day Parade and will co-host a concert at the U.S. Capitol.
Sinise, who currently stars in CBS's "CSI: New York," is a longtime champion of veterans issues. He has performed across the country and has traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan with the Lt. Dan Band -- named after his movie character -- to entertain the troops.
He also is the national spokesman for the Disabled Veterans for Life Memorial Foundation, which is working to build a disabled veterans memorial in Washington near the Capitol.
Sinise says he is moved whenever he interacts with the troops. "They show up and shake hands and thank me," he told The Washington Times. "They are grateful to know that somebody took the time to do this for them."
Sinise has been participating in the Memorial Day parade since it relaunched in 2004 after a nearly 70-year hiatus. The event includes marching bands and veterans units from all 50 states as well as patriotic floats and helium-filled balloons.
This year also marks the second time Sinise has co-hosted the National Memorial Day Concert, which will include performances by CeCe Winans, Natalie Cole and the National Symphony Orchestra. It will be televised live on PBS.
The concert begins at 8 p.m. Sunday, and crowds will be allowed to gather on the Capitol's West Lawn three hours earlier. The parade begins 2 p.m. Monday in downtown Washington at the corner of Constitution Avenue and 7th streets.
Other events include a Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally, which departs at noon Sunday from the Pentagon, and a wreath-laying ceremony at 11 a.m. Monday at Arlington National Cemetery.
Parade chairman James Roberts said Sinise has been a tremendous supporter of the nation's service members.
"He cannot do enough," Roberts said. "He has spent thousands of hours giving concerts, visiting troops, participating in parades. He is just tireless and, I think, a great patriot and a great hero."
