That my mother would like. Read more of our conversation with Malcolm Gladwell from our book notes and q a programs in cspan sundays at 8 00. Public affairs books. Available for a fathers day gift at your Favorite Book seller. In february jill biden and former president george w. Bush spoke about helping veterans transition to civilian life. It was part of a summit at the george w. Bush institute that focused on the problems faced by veterans of wars in iraq and afghanistan, including unemployment and mental illness. This part of the event is an hour 1 2. Good morning. Thank you. [applause] good morning. And welcome to the bush center. Were thrilled youre here. Were here this morning of course to examine the unique need of our military Service Personnel and what we can do to more effectively help them during their transition from active duty and thank you all for being here. Before i go any further i would like to ask everyone in the audience who is currently serving or has served in the military to please stand so we can recognize and thank you, thank you for volunteering to wear our countrys uniform and to protect the freedoms that we cherish in america. Please stand. [applause] wow. Thanks also to the family members. Some of you have played the role of caretaker when your loved one came home injured from battle. Were grateful for your service and your sacrifice. So lets give the family members a round of applause as well. [applause] as we just saw in the opening video the Bush Institute through our military Service Initiative president bush supports all our nations servicemembers, especially those wounded in post9 11 military service. Its a big year for our military Service Initiative. Under the president s leadership were asking how we can best serve our veterans. So thank you, president bush, for your leadership. Looking around this room it is clear that we have a high powered whos who group assembled here today and were thrilled to have such participants on the panel. I know well all learn a lot. General pace, where are you, thank you for being here and our your leadership of our advisory committee. Dr. Biden, thank you for making the trip to warm, sunny texas. We look forward to hearing from you and thank you to colonel miguel howe for your leadership in this tremendous initiative. We thank you for continuing to service us serve us, colonel. The corporate and nonprofit partners that we have here today. Youve separate stepped up to the meet the needs of our servicemembers and their families. We and they are grateful. Thank you to the companies and citizens that fund these organization. They couldnt do it without you. Our two organizing principles at bush center are leadership and freedom. Were always in need of the first and at risk of losing the chance for the second. This audience certainly understands that better than anybody. Youre here because you are leaders and because you have a deeply held commitment to freedom. At the bush center each of our initiatives are designed to help identify and leaders in the United States and abroad as we work on many fronts. Our Education Initiative is providing innovative ways to train School Principles to lead their campuses and rethinking how best to educate students during particularly challenging years of middle school. Global Health Initiative saving lives of those in africa bringing Vital Health Care to those most in need. Our human freedom work hoses dissident visitors, most recently a chinese advocate a blind advocate for the farmers and disabled and a north korean political prison camp survivor. Youre Womens Initiative led by mrs. Bush, helps cultivate problems in egypt and tunisia and afghan womens project and partnership with first ladies around the world to help advance education, health and Economic Opportunity for women and children worldwide. And finally, of course, the reason were here today, the goal of our military Service Initiative, is to hon no are post9 11 veterans by empowering them to live productive, fulfilling lives when they leave military service. And now its my honor to introduce a man who is doing just that. Justin constantine. Lieutenant colonel Justin Constantine joined the United States marine corps after completing his second year of law school. While on active duty he served judge advocate specializing in criminal law. As a reservist in 2006 he was deployed to iraq and was hit by a sniper. After recovering from his injuries in 2007, he worked with the u. S. Department of justice, the Senate Veterans affairs committee, and the fbi. Not long ago he began his own business as inspirational speaker. Justin participated in our warrior open Golf Tournament last september. That is how we got to know him and you will recognize him from the video. Justin, thank you for your service and for being such a powerful example. Thank you for your leadership and for being here today. Justin. [applause] well, truly honor to be here on such an important day. As a Wounded Warrior and post9 11 veteran who made the transition to private sector during a tough economic time i think im a good representative of todays newest, grayest generation. Today were going to hear from a number of experts and policy leaders on issues all related to veteran transition. At end of the day a truly does make a village. And i hope you realize how complicate ad Successful Transition actually can be. And what Important Role each of you plays in it. After i was airlifted to a medical hospital in landstuhl, my wife stayed at fisher house and was treated like royalty there. A couple weeks later at icu hello 10 from the semiperfy fund came to visit me. A week after that. Wounded warrior project came to visit me. He left a tshirt on my bed which reminded me america cared about my recovery. As an outpatient i learned to play golf with gem estes and military Golf Association which is how i ended up here in september for the warrior open which was a truly incredible experience for everyone who was involved. I develop ad courage to open my own business after i talked to mike haney and attended entrepreneurship for boot camp at Syracuse University. Now as you heard im a inspirational speaker. I work with a lot of corporations including a handful of Blackstone Companies thanks to the likes of steve schwarzman, sandy and mark floyd. I continue to get my counseling for posttraumatic stress for example give an hour, provided free and muchneeded Mental Health care for post9 11 veterans and families all across the country. Im proud to be part of the chamber of commerces hiring our Heroes Initiative campaign devoting great resources to our all our transitioning servicemembers and Va Voc Rehab Program im pursuing a advanced law degree. The list of people and programs that helped me and in my transition goes on and on. Every veteran in that room has their own list. I hope that by showing you my quick snapshot demonstrates that america is now truly stepped up to the challenges of supporting todays vets in an unprecedented manner. When you look at me, i hope you see the millions of other post9 11 veterans and their families. Todays veterans dont need a hand it but a hand up and all of your coordinated efforts are part of our Successful Transition. Some of us are facing very tough obstacles right now. We all want to be productive members society. We all want to take care of our families just like each one of you and often when given opportunity we end up being leaders in our communities. The skills we bring to the workforce are unmatched. A especially are forged in the toughest Work Environment imaginable. President bush is obviously committed to the troops while he was in office and that hasnt changed since he left. I have seen his personal impact on a number of individual veterans and it is nothing short of inspiring. Todays issues need to be discussed because theyre good for all of america. Im incredibly proud to stand behind president bush and what he is doing today and now im equally proud to introduce you to the 43rd president of the United States, george w. Bush. [applause] thank you. Justin, thank you for those kind remarks. Youre a better speaker than you are a golfer. [laughter]. S laura and i are thrilled youre here. Were particularly thankful, dr. Jill biden came. Thanks so much for being here. It means a lot that youve come. I want to thank you what you and first lady do to help our vets. [applause] give margaret a shoutout, president of the bush center. She was a fabulous secretary of education. She is doing a great job here at the bush center. I thank you very much. I want to say hello pete pace, chairman of the joint chiefs when i was president , first marine ever to do so. [laughing] looks like the last marine ever to do so. [laughter] and miguel howe, awesome guy, he is running our military Service Initiative. Has a Fabulous Team and thank you, miguel for your work. I want to thank the sponsors and supporters. Requires money to run these deals. We thank you very much for your generosity. If you got a little more capacity to give we have got the capacity to receive. [laughter] proud to be here with military Service Organizations, our panelists particularly want to thank Martha Raddatz for leading the discussions. A lot of people ask me do i miss much about being president. The answer is really number i mean i miss people i served with. I miss air force one. [laughter]. I mean, in eight years they never lost my baggage. [laughter] i do miss saluting men and women who volunteered to defend our nation during war. Many are coming home and are preparing for new missions as civilians and i intend to salute these men and women for the rest of my life. Here at [applause] and through the military Service Initiative the Bush Institute is going to help. Were focused and well be relentless in serving our vets. Since 9 11 more than 2. 5 million americans have worned the uniformed. They faced down our enemies, they liberated millions and in so doing showed the true compassion of a great nation. They are the 1 of america who kept the 99 safe. And we owe them and their families a deep debt of gratitude. Our country can never really fully repay our vets but we ought to try. From our earliest days americans resolved as Abraham Lincoln put it, to care for him who shall borne the battle and for his widow and orphan. When the Continental Congress met in 1776 one of its first pieces of legislation created pensions for the veterans of revolutionary war. Since then our government has rightly made supporting our veterans a high priority. Private citizens have also played an Important Role in supporting our vets. Service organizations, to College President s who redesigned their curriculum for returning warriors, to employers who have taken a chance on a vet looking to learn a new trade. As world war ii generation demonstrates veterans, tend to take the skills and values they learn in the military and use them in new and constructive ways when they come home. Veterans have been some of the countrys most successful leaders. Many in Public Service, some in the oval office including an 18yearold kid who joined the military when he was 18, 41. Unfortunately [applause] unfortunately not every generation of veterans has enjoyed a warm welcome home. Baby boomers remember what im about to say. When americans in uniform returned from vietnam, many were shouted at and spit upon and they were called names and they were shunned. No matter what you may think about that war the treatment of our veterans then was shameful and wrong and it should never be repeated. Over the next five years more than a million americans will complete their military service. And like those before them they will face challenges as they readjust to civilian life. The bush center, we believe, that after everything they have done for us, we have a duty to help make their transition as successful as possible. We recognize that in helping our veterans we can unleash the potential of a generation of resourceful, determined and experienced leaders. And in so doing we will show the next generation of americans that military service is noble and worthwhile. And that when you sacrifice for your fellow citizens you will find strong support when you come home. Many organizations have taken up the cause. Bush centers partnered with military Service Organizations to honor and encourage veterans through sporting events. Barbara talked about the 100 Mountain Bike ride. Some of the riders are with us. Talked about the Golf Tournament you met. Arnold palmer at the warrior open. And those efforts are important but theyre really not enough. Theyre not transformative enough. And so a goal of the military Service Initiative is to help americans understand how they can support our veterans and empower them to succeed. Support for our troops since 9 11 has been overwhelming but until now we really havent asked important questions like who are these vets . And what do they need . And so together with the institute for veterans and military families at Syracuse University a fine university and a vital program. The Bush Institute completed one of the most comprehensive studies ever conducted of post9 11 veterans. This spring were going to publish the complete results so others can use this information to inform and to enhance their work on behalf of veterans but heres a sneak preview. Of the 2. 5 million post9 11 veterans, more than two million served in afghanistan or iraq. The average veteran spent one out of every three years overseas. 17 of the vets are women. 82 of the post9 11 veterans said they would recommend military service to someone considering signing up. And when asked if they were were proud of their service, 94 said yes. Heres one of the more troubling statistics. 84 of the veterans say that the American Public has little awareness of the challenges facing them and tear families. Turns out most americans agree. 71 of the americans say they do not understand the problems facing our veterans. You might call this a civilianmilitary divide. One less son of our research the divide is exacerbated by Public Perceptions that the veteran is either a hero or to be pitied. Most veterans dont consider themselves heroes or victims. They see themselves as americans who took on a tough job and did it well. They dont want lavish celebrations or expressions of condolences. While it never hurts to say thank you, that is not really the point. 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 life. In short, our veterans have defended the American People and now they want to experience the american dream. Our study also shows that post9 11 veterans face even higher rates of unemployment than their civilian counterparts, and this is their top concern. Problems especially intense for younger veterans. Veterans with combat experience, veterans with disabilities, minorities and women. Sadly the cost of unemployment are not only financial. Studies show that veterans without a steady job are more susceptible to other problems like depression and addiction and homelessness and suicide. So another goal of the military Service Initiative is to then more veterans put their skills to work in rewarding civilian jobs. From our research we know one problem is that veterans and employers both have a hard time translating military experience. That is not surprising. I mean you dont see many job postings say, wanted, experienced hunting insurgents and tariffs, willing to risk life for coworkers. Or what is a veteran supposed to put down . My last office was a humvee. Our study will help employers understand what veterans have to offer and tailor their recruitment hiring efforts. Well send a broader message. Hiring veterans is not only right thing to do, its a smart thing to do. Ive employed a lot of people during my career. I learn you can always teach skills. But what matters most in an employee are qualities like character and values. Work ethic and responsibility. And that is what our veterans bring. When a resume says United States military, that means you can count on the applicant to be loyal. Got good leadership, Team Work Skills and discipline. To an employer, that should mean a lot. Across our country businesses are making wise choices to hire veterans. Many companies started programs to seek out and hire veterans and military spouses and were proud here at the bush center to welcome some of the most innovative companies. 7eleven and bank of america, jcpenney, jpmorgan chase, prudentialing walmart, blackstone and la quinta. There is a long way to go before the employment gap is closed. Part of