A legacy of service: 9/11 veterans continuing the tradition of George H.W. Bush and John McCain

Military veterans are an underutilized national resource. Today, the conversation about the veteran community focuses rightfully on support: How can the private and public sectors appropriately support the veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan and ensure their continued well-being? In the spirit of Senator John McCain and President George H.W. Bush, there are many post-9/11 veterans who are continuing their service out of uniform. They have founded non-profits, risen to leadership in national institutions, won congressional office in competitive swing districts, and founded organizations promoting veteran candidates capable of creating bipartisan solutions to our nation’s most pressing problems.

On Tuesday, April 9, the Foreign Policy and Governance Studies programs at Brookings hosted a panel discussion on some of these efforts, identifying factors that prevent more veterans from continued service and emphasizing opportunities for engagement across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Following their discussion, the panel answered questions from the audience.