Benjamin Bratt stars as James Patrick Tisnewski in E-Ring.

HOLLYWOOD -- Benjamin Bratt has come out of the trenches to report for duty at the Pentagon.

Bratt, 41, has filmed the first two episodes of Jerry Bruckheimer's newest TV series E-Ring which premieres on NBC this fall.

Bratt plays James Patrick Tisnewski, who he describes as "a Polish American who was a lifelong military guy. He was a Special Ops, Green Beret who is yanked from the field in Afghanistan and given a staff position in the Pentagon.

"For my character, the show is all about how he comes to understand how the Pentagon works and it's not easy for a guy who is a fighter not a bureaucrat."

These days Bratt is trying to recall what it was like to play a Second World War career soldier in the taut military drama The Great Raid.

It's the story of the greatest rescue mission in American military history.

Bratt plays Lt. Colonel Henry Mucci who lead 121 Rangers and Alamo Scouts to rescue 500 U.S. prisoners of war in a Japanese PoW camp in the Philippines.

Mucci knew the Japanese had given orders to kill all PoWs so he had to complete his mission in a matter of days.

Bratt filmed this fact-based drama in 2002 in Australia, but it was delayed while Disney was negotiating to purchase Miramax Films from Harvey and Bob Weinstein.

"I filmed The Woodsman, Thumbsucker and Catwoman after we shot The Great Raid. There were days I thought the film would never get released and it saddened me," says Bratt.

"It's an incredible story of courage and determination. I talked to some of the survivors of the PoW camp as well as some of the members of the rescue mission.

"We premiered The Great Raid for vets from Iraq.

"These campaigns are separated by 50 years and yet the men said the same things. They were relieved to be home, but said they wanted to get back to Iraq to make sure their fellow soldiers are OK.

"That paternal or fraternal feeling is what The Great Raid is about."

Bratt is feeling particularly paternal these days.

He and his wife Talisa Soto are expecting their second child in October.

Their daughter Sophia was born in December 2002.

"It's so incredible to have my own family. I was raised in an incredibly tight-knit home. Having my own child awakened in me feelings I never knew existed.

"Family is the reason I took the E-Ring. I want to be able to go home after a day's work and be with my wife and children."

Bratt's mother is a retired nurse and his father, a retired sheet-metal worker.

"I learned a strong work ethic from my father, as well as some skill with my hands. I build furniture in my garage for my daughter. Things like little tables, chairs and benches. I like to say I'm getting in touch with my inner workman."

Bratt, who is the middle of five children, went to university in San Francisco to take an arts degree and quickly transferred to the city's prestigious American Conservatory Theatre.

"I'll tell you that decision went over like a rock, but my parents were as supportive as they could be given they wanted me to be a university graduate."

During his four seasons playing Detective Rey Curtis on Law & Order, Bratt was partnered with Jerry Orbach, who died last December of prostate cancer.

"Jerry knew he had cancer when we worked together, but he though he was in complete remission," recalls Bratt.

"When it came back, it wasted him so quickly. I went to visit him in the hospital and I am proud to say he had not lost his wonderful sense of humour.

"The cancer had affected his vocal chords giving him a raspy voice. Even the day he died he was doing his Marlon Brando imitations from The Godfather."

Bratt says Orbach's passing is "a wake-up call that reminds us to enjoy life for what it is. That's what I'm doing on both a conscious and subconscious level."