Former President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush welcomed veterans to their Prairie Chapel Ranch for a weekend of mountain biking. The Veteran’s Day Warrior Ride celebrated service, camaraderie, and reflection.
The George W. Bush Presidential Center released a statement from the president. “Our veterans bravely wore the uniform of the United States in defense of our freedom,” said Bush. “They answered the call of duty and have been a force for good in the world. Laura and I join our fellow citizens in thanking our vets and their families who stand beside them. God bless you all.”
The gathering coincided with continued advocacy for veterans from the George W. Bush Institute. Lt Col. (Ret.) Jason Galui, the Institute’s Director of Veterans and Military Families, recently testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs.
“We believe that the nation has a duty to help make the military-to-civilian transition as successful as possible for veterans and their families. Our Veterans and Military Families team’s main objective is to empower veterans and their families to thrive in their civilian lives, so that — in the words of President George W. Bush, ‘We can unleash the potential of a generation of resourceful, determined, and experienced leaders,’” Galui said.
Galui explained how military service often provides many with a profound sense of purpose, which can result in feeling lost after leaving the armed forces. “A veteran’s service to country need not end after the military. Their service simply transforms. Recognizing such transformation is key to successful transition,” he said.
Through leadership programs and research-driven policies focused on employment, education, and well-being, The Bush Institute’s advocacy includes long-term support for veterans and their families.
“Our warriors are the one percent of America who kept the 99 percent safe. We have a duty to help make their transitions as successful as possible,” said Bush.
And those transitions can look different for each veteran, said Galui. “One might define success as landing a job immediately upon transition. Another might define success as retreating to a faraway place where peace and quiet dominate. Others still may define their successful transition as one in which they focus on their family members … The Bush Institute believes transition begins at accession, for transition is an ongoing process throughout a human’s life,” he said.
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