Gary Sinise Arrives in Columbus

Its about time, said Pvt. Joseph Robbins, 20, as the basic trainee left a screening of Brothers at War, a documentary by a man who travels to Iraq to understand why his two soldier brothers fought there. Its about time that we got an unbiased look at the war.

The film premiered Friday at the Carmike 15 in Columbus, as well as near three other military installations.

Gary Sinise, the Hollywood actor and an executive producer of Brothers at War, attended the Columbus event with Joel Rademacher, the filmmaker and producer; David Scantling, another executive producer; and producer Norman S. Powell.

Sinise agreed with Robbins assessment.

What I like about Brothers at War is that its told from a very personal point of view, he said.

Its not the media, its not movie stars, its not anything like that, he said. Its a brother making a movie about his two brothers, and he wants to know why theyre serving this country — what makes them tick and what theyre doing over in Iraq Theres a personal motivation to making the film, not anything other than that and thats what I really responded to. Its got a lot of heart.

Scantling said that documentaries or independent films usually open in New York or Los Angeles.

We wanted to bring this film to the military audiences first, he said. The film was also shown in three North Carolina locations, including near Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune.

Reaction of soldiers

I can relate to it, said Pvt. Joe Keiser, 18, another Benning basic trainee, of the movie. I can be deployed at any time and I lost a brother myself. People are always asking why we are risking our lives. Why do we do it?

Fellow trainee Pvt. Anthony Tropeano, 20, said he joined the Army because he lost some friends who were flying from Boston to New York on Sept. 11.

I think it really helps shed a positive light on whats going on over there, he said of Iraq. There is a lot of hope for these people. I loved it.

Several years ago, when Capt. Isaac Rademacher and Sgt. Joe Rademacher returned home from Iraq after serving together, their older brother, Jake Rademacher, felt the deployment had created a distance between the once-close siblings. Thats when the Los Angeles-based actor conceived Brothers.

He wanted to know why his two brothers would risk their lives for their country and how their service impacted their families, so he journeyed to Iraq, where he embedded with combat units and filmed their experiences.

The movie juxtaposes sometimes violent depictions of combat operations in Iraq with intimate interviews from the homefront. Thats something that struck a chord with 20-year-old Pvt. Gavin Mueller, a basic trainee at Fort Benning. His own father just returned from Iraq.

I didnt realize what it was like for him, having a family back home, Mueller said. The movie explained some of that. Maybe thats how my dad felt too.

At the first of the films two showings, Staff Sgt. Thomas Turpin of Fort Bennings Black Hawk Aviation unit reflected on the duty of the soldier: We go over there and we do our job day in and day out. We lay our lives down for this country and to have a documentary like that, thats not political, like where we shouldnt be over there because of this or because of that, it means a lot to us. It means somebodys sticking up for the soldiers.

His wife, Nikki Turpin, finished her husbands thought. And putting a face to the soldiers, she said. That is what I want to see. Thats what Im excited about. I want these soldiers to have a face.

Fans of Sinise

Spc. Alexander Bouziane said he and his wife came out to meet Gary Sinise. Actually I just heard about it on the radio and when I heard Gary Sinise was coming to town, I was like, I love Gary Sinise. Apollo 13! He was the reason why I started watching CSI New York.

Sinise said he jumped on board with Rademachers project after seeing the film because he thought it celebrated the American soldier and the American military family.

Its a positive movie about our servicemembers and its a great story about brotherhood, he said. And its the kind of movie that just really warmed my heart. And, you know, having seen so many military families on various bases around the country its — you know — it shows what I see. Just the quality of the people that we have serving our country.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• gary sinise
• brothers at war
• columbus
• ga
• fort
• benning
• soldiers
• infantry
• jake
• rademacher
• documentary
• movie

[choute27]

oh my god!!isn't he nice!!!!and hot!I'm 28 and he's 54 but I find him more and more attractive!

[FFftlm]

I loved when he says"Why not?"His Voice is so cute!!!

[floridamn22]

@choute27 I'm 25 and feel the same.

[Kvbsu]

"Why not?"

[SarahHameron]

damn why's he saying at 0:23 "Gary Sinis" we know who he is haha :D he's such a awesome men

[floridamn22]

thats what makes Gary Sinise one of the best actors and an all-american...he's geniune and truly cares about the troops and his fans.

[101Terrier]

I love his voice!

[midnitehowler09]

u lucky people he is my idol and i sooooo want to meet him lol =P

[rosette8888]

►Wouaw....... Gary Sinise dans toute sa splendeur.... il fait tellement de bonnes choses.

[JoePaull]

This is the sweetness!