Jesse McCartney talks about portraying PTSD soldier on Army Wives

Jesse McCartney talks touring with BSB, 'Army Wives': 5 highlights
by OnTheRedCarpet.com Staff
07/30/2013

With a role on "Army Wives," new music and a tour, Jesse McCartney is having a busy year.

The actor and singer recently spoke to OTRC.com correspondent Tony Cabrera about joining The Backstreet Boys for their "In A World Like This Tour," starting on August 2 in Chicago. McCartney also chatted about his new music, how preparing for his role on "Army Wives" was life-changing and his charitable work with City of Hope.

Preparing for his 'Army Wives' role was life-changing.

"The top of this year I was in South Carolina for about five months. I was working on a show called 'Army Wives.' It was in its seventh season, they brought me in. I played a young Army recruit straight out of high school who gets shipped over to Afghanistan to fight and, really sweet kid," McCartney said of his character on the show. "Just happy to be there. Trying to make friends with everyone. Doesn't really know quite what he's doing, but he just knows he wants to fight for his country."

McCartney's character,Tim Truman, goes through a traumatic experience during the war and begins to suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

"I got to sit down with a lot of ex-military who have actually struggled with PTSD and I heard some unbelievable stories that were kind of life-changing," he said about preparing for his role. "It was great to really shed some light on an issue like this, 'cause I feel like most of America doesn't realize what these soldiers go through and that most of the time the war really starts when they come home."
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