MAGNUM P.I. and BLUE BLOODS star Tom Selleck is “proud” of his military service and continues to show support for the troops.
Selleck was working as an actor in the 1960s when he was issued draft orders during the Vietnam War. He joined the California National Guard and served from 1967 to 1973.
“I am a veteran; I’m proud of it,” the actor told Military.com. “I was a sergeant in the U.S. Army Infantry, National Guard, Vietnam era. We’re all brothers and sisters in that sense.”
Selleck has continued to support America’s servicemen and women, volunteering to appear in PSAs, promoting recruitment and serving as a spokesperson for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
“We learned a lesson as a country over time, that we need to welcome our troops home,” he explained. “Regardless of whether you have political problems with whatever mission they’re on, they just served and we need to thank them for it.”
Selleck has often spoken about the stops and starts of his “accidental” acting career.
“I was committed to being a good actor,” he said on an episode of Q WITH TOM POWER. “I don’t think I had visions of being a star, although I never thought of the business in that way.”
Selleck continued, “I did six unsold pilots before I ever got MAGNUM. It was frustrating finding work, it was frustrating going to interviews, but I got to say, when MAGNUM came on the air, I was 35 and I was schooled and trained and very few people get introduced to the audience the way I was fortunate enough to do on MAGNUM.”
The actor points to his work ethic as a reason he succeeded in Hollywood — as well as his faith in God.
“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps,” Selleck said. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”
Selleck recently wrapped up the series finale of BLUE BLOODS, a show and cast he says he will miss very much.
