Fans are excited about the new USAA commercial from Rob Gronkowski and Sam Elliott, but one line has many curiously running to Google.
In the 45-second segment, former NFL star Gronk is the casting director while Sam plays himself as the commercial’s talent. After saying his first line – “USAA: For the military community and their families” – Gronk calls “cut” and tells Sam he must be a “Gronkier.” While the definition of such a word is up for debate, that’s not what fans are searching for online – they’re curious to see if Sam Really is a veteran.
“As a veteran, I’m already in the game,” Sam told Gronk at the end of the commercial, describing his eligibility for USAA.
So, is it true?
Did Sam Elliott serve in the military?
Sam served in the 146th Airlift Wing of the California Air National Guard. Although he was commissioned in the Reserves, he was never deployed. And that’s something he’s had to come to terms with over the years.
“I always felt guilty about it, and then I got the opportunity to make a film called We were soldiers,“, he revealed in an interview with Bang Showbiz“I played a man who served in four different military conflicts… and then I got the opportunity to visit the (Vietnam Memorial) on the Fourth of July… I always felt guilty about not going. I joined the National Guard and was one of the lucky ones.”
So there you have it. The A star is born The actor was in the military, but was never actively deployed to fight for the country.
Rebecca Ravee Norris is a freelance writer with ten years of experience in lifestyle media. She lives in the Washington metropolitan area and covers everything from beauty and wellness to fashion and celebrity news. She is a graduate of George Mason University and has a BA in Media: Production, Consumption, and Criticism and a minor in Electronic Journalism. When she’s not writing, she’s hanging out with her beloved Jack-Chi Cash, working out at the gym, dreaming of her next home decorating project, trying out a new recipe, getting lost in the pages of a book, or binge-watching her favorite shows.
