Cristin Bartter

Cristin joined the Gary Sinise Foundation in May 2014, bringing with her a profound dedication to service, deeply rooted in her upbringing in a military family—her father proudly served 22 years in the Air Force. Her call to serve was magnified following the September 11 attacks, leading her to an unexpected turn from a college path with an Air Force ROTC scholarship to enlisting in the United States Marine Corps as a Combat Correspondent. Her military journey took her from boot camp at Parris Island to Marine Combat Training and MOS School, eventually leading to her role at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, where she excelled as a Combat Correspondent and eventually took on the role of Community Relations Manager and, later, the Commanding Officer’s aide.

Cristin's career advanced as she was selected for the coveted position of Crew Chief, participating in critical missions in combat zones during Operation Enduring Freedom, with numerous deployments extending across Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and Thailand. After her service, she pursued higher education at Belmont University, earning a bachelor's degree in corporate communications with a minor in biology. Her transition to the Gary Sinise Foundation is a continuation of her commitment to supporting her fellow servicemen and women, inspired by her lifelong friend and Vietnam veteran, Robert “Harry” Harrison, whose final words to her, “Do great things,” resonate through her work every day. At the Foundation, Cristin feels she is fulfilling this promise, serving those who sacrifice so much for our freedom, guided by the Marine Corps motto, Semper Fidelis!