Dancing With The Stars Winner J.R. Martinez Will Guest On Army Wives

Dancing With the Stars Season 13 winner, J.R. Martinez, is moving on to a guest starring role in the Lifetime drama Army Wives. Martinez has been tapped to play a wounded army veteran now working as a physical therapist to help other vets get through their injuries. That can’t be much of a stretch for Martinez, who actually is an army vet wounded in combat.

Martinez was easily one of the most popular fan favorites in DWTS history, and his win was an inspirational one for many. Now EW says he’ll be inspiring wounded vets on Army Wives. His character is a physical therapist who has a particular bond with the wounded vets he helps, and who pushes them to overcome their injuries and go further than they could have imagined.

Martinez was injured while on active duty in Iraq in 2003; his Humvee hit a hidden bomb and he suffered burns to 40% of his body. He’s been through dozens of surgeries and plenty of therapy himself to get back on his feet, so this role sounds like it’s perfect for him. Martinez' previous acting work was on All My Children, where he appeared from 2008 through 2011. He played, not surprisingly, a wounded Iraq veteran on the soap. He’s also a motivational speaker and works on behalf of a charity organization for people who have survived burns like his.

The guest spot is set to be filmed next month and will air some time in August on Lifetime.