Portraits of Courage with President Bush on the Today Show
This morning on the Today show, President George W. Bush, alongside 4 military veterans spoke about the invisible wounds of war, transition and President Bush’s new book “Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors”. Here are some highlights.
Earlier today, President Bush joined the Today show, along with veterans Melissa Hoffman Stockwell, Christopher Self, Michael Rodriguez and Israel Del Toro, all of whom are military service members who sustained injuries while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. Each of them are featured in President Bush’s new book “Portraits of Courage”, which highlights the personal stories of courage and sacrifice of military members whom the president has gotten to know during his time as Commander-in-chief and since leaving office.
President Bush will donate his net author proceeds from PORTRAITS OF COURAGE to the George W. Bush Presidential Center, a non-profit organization whose Military Service Initiative (MSI) works to ensure that post-9/11 veterans and their families make successful transitions to civilian life with a focus on gaining meaningful employment and overcoming the invisible wounds of war.
The MSI provides transition resources, tools, and wellness programs which aim to provide a smooth transition as service members leave the military and re-enter civilian life. The MSI also focuses on addressing the invisible wounds of war such as post-traumatic stress (PTS) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to remove the stigmas which create barriers to seeking treatment.
President Bush has painted sixty-six full-color portraits and a four-panel mural of these veterans as a way to highlight their stories and to honor their service. According to the website, “Each painting in this meticulously produced hardcover volume is accompanied by the inspiring story of the veteran depicted, written by President Bush. Readers can see the faces of those who answered the Nation’s call and learn from their bravery on the battlefield, their journeys to recovery, and the continued leadership and contributions they are making as civilians.”
During the show, President Bush and the veterans spoke about the challenges and successes of life after the military. They addressed coming to grips with their wounds, family life and what it takes to adapt and overcome to a “new normal”.
“Our vets are a tremendous national asset… [They] got a PhD in life at a young age.”
President Bush spoke specifically about the importance of mentorship in seeking help for invisible wounds. Perhaps most importantly, he mentioned the importance of veterans helping to guide other veterans through the transition process. “Vets who have got PTS a lot of times won’t talk about it. So, this program is important because you’ve got 4 people [here] who are willing to talk about it and they’re all doing darn good. And then, one they talk about it, the question is: how can they get help? And it turns out peer to peer counseling [since these vets have had similar struggles] they can say “you can do this!” much better than you or I can. And then, the question is, once they decide to do it, where do they go? And so, at the Bush Center, we’ve got a wellness alliance.”
President Bush also addressed the importance of bridging the military-civilian divide when it comes to employment and translating military skills into employer-friendly language. “The other thing we’re doing is helping on jobs because the #1 concern among vets is “can I find work?” … and there’s a civilian-military gap and one way to highlight it is somebody goes to work and [the employer asks] “what’s your skill set” and [the vet] says “well, I was a sniper”. And the Vice President of the company says “well, I don’t think we need one this year”. Now, had the person been able to say “I’m skilled, I’m determined, I’m courageous, I’m willing to train, I’m a team player… so, we’re helping them bridge that divide.”
To learn more about this new book all week and to hear more incredible warrior stories, please tune in to Hannity on FOX news at 10pm EST for portions of interviews with President Bush and three veterans, and the full hour on Friday. Tune into The Ellen Show (check local listings) and Jimmy Kimmel (ABC) on March 2nd! And again on March 5 at 8am EST on Today with Willie Geist on NBC.
President Bush will donate his net author proceeds from PORTRAITS OF COURAGE to the George W. Bush Presidential Center, a non-profit organization whose Military Service Initiative works to ensure that post-9/11 veterans and their families make successful transitions to civilian life with a focus on gaining meaningful employment and overcoming the invisible wounds of war. Learn more. Books can be purchased here.
To learn more about the Bush Center’s Military Service Initiative, click here.
