Former President George W. Bush took to the Texas stage to speak about the true 1 percent crowd in America that deserves the respect and admiration of all — the veterans.
“They are the 1 percent of Americans that kept the 99 percent safe,” he said, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. “We owe them and their families a deep debt of gratitude.”
The former president — and military veteran — also offered some words of advice about what service men and women truly want.
“What most veterans want is to have their service understood and appreciated for what it is: A formative experience in their lives and a source of skills and values that prepare them to succeed in civilian lives,” he said, ABC reported. “Our veterans have defended the American people and now they want to experience the American dream.”
He made the remarks during the Bush’s Institute’s Empowering Our Nation’s Warriors summit on Wednesday. He also called for an easier path for veterans to obtain civilian employment.
“You don’t see many job postings that say ’Wanted: Experience in hunting insurgents and terrorists. Willing to risk life for coworkers,’” Mr. Bush said, The Huffington Post reported. “What’s a veteran supposed to put down? ’My last office was a Humvee?’”
And what did the former White House office holder miss most about the presidency?
“A lot of people ask me, you know, do I miss much about being president? And the answer is really no,” he said, The Hill reported. “I mean, I miss the people I served with. I miss Air Force One. In eight years, they never lost my baggage.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.