# Which younger actors and actresses have served in combat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 27, 2012, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986 "2012-09-27T10:42:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/1 "2012-09-27T10:42:16Z")
Inspired by [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=666849) thread about macho actors. I wonder, how many and which of the current set of actors have served in combat? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/2 "2012-09-27T10:52:15Z")
[Rob Riggle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Riggle) springs to mind. He does comedic acting, stand up and sketch comedy, but if he wanted to (and maybe took a less silly sounding stage name), [he could totally pull off the macho thing](http://doodiepants.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/rob-riggle-212-marine.jpg). He’s received a Combat Action Ribbon, which is only given to those who have served in active combat, as I understand it. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/3 "2012-09-27T10:53:20Z")
Not an actor but a singer: [James Blunt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Blunt) was a captain in the British Army, serving with the NATO forces in Kosovo. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/4 "2012-09-27T12:31:56Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Not an actor but a singer: [James Blunt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Blunt) was a captain in the British Army, serving with the NATO forces in Kosovo. And may have actually prevented combat, if [this stor](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11753050)y is true. [Rudy Reyes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudy_Reyes_(actor)) comes to mind as an actor. I’ve read that he had a role where he wasn’t playing himself. ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/5 "2012-09-27T12:49:10Z")
[Mark Valley](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0885090/), best known for TV shows like **Human Target** and **Boston Legal** (although I will always think of him as the main character in the sadly short-lived **Keen Eddie** ). He graduated from West Point and served in the Gulf War. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/6 "2012-09-27T14:52:21Z")
[Jamie Kaler](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0435695/), comic/actor from the TBS sitcom [My Boys](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Boys), was a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. I don’t know that he saw combat, though. His Wiki page only says that he was stationed in San Diego. No dates are given, but it says he went into the Navy after graduating from Boston University. He was born in 1964, so graduated from BU in 1986/87 maybe? U.S. Navy in the late 80s / early 90s? What was the Navy doing during The 1991 Gulf War? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/7 "2012-09-27T15:16:21Z")
Some Israeli actors must have. Don’t think Natalie Portman did, bur Oded Fehr, Ardeth Bay from the Mummy could have. And Arnold Vosloo would have been the right age to serve in Angola with the South African Defence Forces, which had conscription at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/8 "2012-09-27T16:09:14Z")
[Adam Driver](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3485845/), who plays Adam on **Girls** , was in the Marines for several years, although he was discharged for medical reasons before deploying. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/9 "2012-09-27T17:27:04Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > And Arnold Vosloo would have been the right age to serve in Angola with the South African Defence Forces, which had conscription at the time. Naah, he was drafted but got a medical discharge and never saw service. Well, [unless you count this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ecoR_him_4) ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/10 "2012-09-27T17:31:27Z")
[John Huertas](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005030/), Esposito in Castle, was in the Air Force. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/11 "2012-09-27T17:34:07Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Some Israeli actors must have. Don’t think Natalie Portman did, bur Oded Fehr, Ardeth Bay from the Mummy could have. And Arnold Vosloo would have been the right age to serve in Angola with the South African Defence Forces, which had conscription at the time. I don’t know if he served in combat, but I believe Oded Fehr served in Israel’s Navy. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/12 "2012-09-27T19:10:07Z")
The obvious answer is [J.R. Martinez](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._Martinez). Soap actor and Dancing With the Stars winner. Wounded Iraqi War vet. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/13 "2012-09-27T19:12:16Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > [Rob Riggle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Riggle) springs to mind. He does comedic acting, stand up and sketch comedy, but if he wanted to (and maybe took a less silly sounding stage name), [he could totally pull off the macho thing](http://doodiepants.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/rob-riggle-212-marine.jpg). He’s received a Combat Action Ribbon, which is only given to those who have served in active combat, as I understand it. He is still in the military. He is currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Reserves. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/14 "2012-09-27T19:30:21Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > I don’t know if he served in combat, but I believe Oded Fehr served in Israel’s Navy. He says he never saw combat. From interview: > [@](#): > > But the fighting in the movie has nothing to do with reality. I did my military service from 1989 - 92 and I was never shot at or had to fire on anybody. I was very lucky. I was more involved in intelligence and counter-intelligence. [http://www.somethingjewish.co.uk/articles/69\_interview\_with\_oded\_.htm](http://www.somethingjewish.co.uk/articles/69_interview_with_oded_.htm) ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/15 "2012-09-27T19:35:09Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > What was the Navy doing during The 1991 Gulf War? A crap ton of ground support strikes off SIX carrier battlegroups. Tomahawk cruise missle launches off of subs, cruisers, and BATTLESHIPS (their last hurrah). (According to wiki, the Missouri and Wisconsin used their 16-inch rifles as well.) AWACS patrols and recon. Demonstrating off the coast of Kuwait with amphibious ships, keeping the Iraqis worried about their eastern flank. Dunno about SEAL operations, or air-ambulance operations, but I suspect there were some of those. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/16 "2012-09-27T23:52:09Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > [John Huertas](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005030/), Esposito in Castle, was in the Air Force. And he served in both the Panama invasion and the Gulf War. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/17 "2012-09-28T00:16:50Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Some Israeli actors must have. Don’t think Natalie Portman did, bur Oded Fehr, Ardeth Bay from the Mummy could have. And Arnold Vosloo would have been the right age to serve in Angola with the South African Defence Forces, which had conscription at the time. A conscript named Schwarzenegger apparently drove a tank for the Austrian military – after going AWOL during basic training to win a bodybuilding competition. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/18 "2012-09-28T00:32:30Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > A conscript named Schwarzenegger apparently drove a tank for the Austrian military – after going AWOL during basic training to win a bodybuilding competition. I figure at 65, Schwarzenegger no longer qualifies as one of our younger actors. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/19 "2012-09-28T00:43:54Z")
They’re not well known actors but [Sean Huze](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1011341/) and [Jake McLaughlin](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2474864/) are both veterans of the Iraq War and have enough credits to have an IMDB page. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986/20 "2012-09-28T02:53:10Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > …What was the Navy doing during The 1991 Gulf War? > [@mlees](#): > > A crap ton of ground support strikes off SIX carrier battlegroups. > > Tomahawk cruise missle launches off of subs, cruisers, and BATTLESHIPS (their last hurrah). (According to wiki, the Missouri and Wisconsin used their 16-inch rifles as well.) > > AWACS patrols and recon. > > Demonstrating off the coast of Kuwait with amphibious ships, keeping the Iraqis worried about their eastern flank. > > Dunno about SEAL operations, or air-ambulance operations, but I suspect there were some of those. Besides the above, they sank the Iraqi navy, which had several patrol craft – I think the biggest were about coast guard cutter sized. Also they interdicted, inspected and in some cases seized cargo ships for contraband, as Iraq was being embargoed. This went on quite a bit longer than the actual war because the embargo began before the shooting war. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-younger-actors-and-actresses-have-served-in-combat/635986.md?page=2)