Since his retirement from the United
States Marine Corps in 2000, Tony Zinni continued to
serve his country as the U.S. Peace Envoy in the Middle
East and as the Special Envoy to the Henri Dunant Centre
for Humanitarian Dialogue (Indonesian, Philippines, & Sudan
peace effort). He also serves on the boards of several
corporations, universities and other organizations,
offering his insight gained from his 40 years of experience
as a proven and decorated leader in the U.S. military.
Bob Dole, U.S. Senator
Bob Dole has been called "a
towering figure" and "the most enduring Republican
leader of the twentieth century." Senator Dole has
a distinguished record of public service that has made
a tremendous positive impact on America.
John Amos, Actor
A tough but tender player
of TV and motion pictures, John Amos was a social worker
and professional football player before he was bitten
by the performing bug. In a career that has led to such
roles as the adult Kunte Kinte in "Roots" (ABC,
1977) and James Evans, the father on the long-running
CBS sitcom "Good Times", he has retained a
high level of integrity both in his on-screen portrayals
and in his demands for quality African-American portrayals
in off-screen battles.
Lee Greenwood, Singer
Well-known for the support
and pride he holds for our country, Lee Greenwood regularly
tours with the United Services Organization (USO), most
recently in September 2003. After thirty albums, Greenwood
has his foot planted firmly in the music industry and
is a respected musician. He continues to maintain a rigorous
touring schedule, including visits to military bases
and performances at government functions, including the
Veteran's Day ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
in Washington, D.C. Lee noted in a recent interview: “A
lesson we all collectively learned as a nation on 9-11
is that the ground shook, but when the dust cleared,
we stood strong—prouder than ever to be Americans.”
Mike Singletary,
NFL Hall of Fame Linebacker
Mike Singletary was selected
by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 1981
NFL Draft, the 38th player overall. Singletary out of
Baylor, where he averaged 15 tackles per game and established
a team record with 232 tackles in 1978, went on to win
the NFL rookie of the year honors. He continued his legendary
career playing a total of 172 career games for the Bears,
which is second most in NFL history.
Martin Sheen, Actor
Emmy Award winner Martin Sheen continues
on NBC’s “The West Wing” this year
in the powerful role of President Bartlet. He was Emmy
and Golden Globe-nominated for his portrayal of the president
in 2003. Sheen’s “West Wing” performance
earned him Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead
Actor in a Drama Series for four seasons prior to that.
Heather Wilson, Congresswoman
Heather Wilson has served the citizens
of New Mexico's First Congressional District since June
23, 1998. Congresswoman Wilson serves on the influential
Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction
over issues important to the 1st District including energy,
public health, telecommunications and hazardous materials.
Chuck Hagel, Senator
Chuck Hagel, Nebraska’s senior U.S.
Senator, is serving his second term in the United States
Senate. Senator Hagel’s duties include membership
on four Senate committees: Foreign Relations; Banking,
Housing and Urban Affairs; Intelligence and Rules. Hagel
served in Vietnam with his brother Tom in 1968. They
served side by side as infantry squad leaders with the
U.S. Army’s 9th Infantry Division. Hagel earned
many military decorations and honors, including two Purple
Hearts.
Daniel K. Inouye,
Senator
Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI), the third most
senior member of the U.S. Senate, is known for his distinguished
record as a legislative leader, and as a World War II
combat veteran who earned the nation's highest award
for military valor, the Medal of Honor. The son of Japanese
immigrants, Senator Inouye was first elected to the U.S.
Senate in 1962 and is now serving his eighth consecutive
term. After losing his right arm in WWII, Sen. Inouye
was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain, and
returned home with a Distinguished Service Cross, the
nation's second highest award for military valor, along
with a Bronze Star, Purple Heart with cluster, and 12
other medals and citations.
Dennis
Franz,
Actor
Chicago-born Dennis Franz (originally
Dennis Schlachta) spent 11 months in an airborne division
during the Vietnam War. Afterward, Franz became a postman
and, by his own admission, not a very good one. Short
and scrappy, he decided to become a character actor,
making the rounds of the "Windy City" casting
agencies in search of film work. Franz made his film
debut in a bit part in De Palma's "The Fury" (1978).
He made his TV debut as beat cop Joe Gilland in the 1982
TV series "Chicago Story." Franz went on to
become a "regular" in the various projects
of producer Steven Bochco, playing baseball coach Angelo
Carbone on the four-episode "Bay City Blues" (1983),
and two different roles -- unscrupulous detective Sal
Benedetto and streetwise lieutenant Norman Buntz -- on
the popular "Hill Street Blues." An attempt
to capitalize on his Hill Street fame led to the short-lived
1987 series "Beverly Hills Buntz." In 1993,
Dennis Franz was back with Bochco on the controversial
series "NYPD Blue." Once again, he played a
cop, this time a recovering alcoholic trying to reassemble
his shattered personal life and career.
Bob Filner,
Congressman
In seven terms as a U.S. congressman,
Rep. Bob Filner (D-51-CA) has been a staunch advocate
for America’s veterans. As a senior member of the
House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, he has continually
fought to provide adequate VA health care for them, while
initiating legislation of his own to improve veterans’ insurance
and immediately pay concurrent receipt of compensation
benefits and retired pay. Representative Filner has also
supported bills to permanently authorize sexual trauma
counseling, increase funding for PTSD treatment and provide
programs for homeless veterans. He was instrumental in
obtaining federal funding to build the Chula Vista Veterans
Home.
