DALLAS — George W. Bush said that after eight years in the White House, he is happy to be back home in Texas and out of the spotlight.
But the former commander-in-chief told The Associated Press there is one aspect of his presidency he still misses: interaction with U.S. troops.
Bush, who sent them to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, said that despite his desire to remain largely out of the public eye, he wants to make sure veterans and military members know they have his support.
“I was a little concerned that our veterans don’t think that I still respect them and care for them a lot,” Bush told AP.
He added later, “There’s nothing as courageous in my judgment as someone who had a leg blown off in combat overcoming the difficulties.”
Bush is hosting this week’s Warrior Open golf tournament in suburban Dallas, an event featuring members of the U.S. armed forces wounded while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, including those who lost limbs and suffered brain injuries. Bush joined more than a dozen wounded military members in the Warrior 100 — a 62-mile mountain bike ride he hosted in West Texas last spring.
These public appearances are the exception to the lifestyle Bush has led in his post-presidency.
After leaving office two years ago, Bush and former first lady Laura Bush bought a house in Dallas and started work on the George W. Bush Presidential Center, slated to open in 2013. He has attended select events relating to the center, as well as a ceremony with President Barack Obama marking the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. But he has largely remained out of the public eye.
Bush said he doesn’t want veterans to mistake his private nature with a lack of appreciation for what they have done on the battlefield.
“They hadn’t seen me, and they hadn’t seen me with the troops,” he said. “So therefore I am using mountain biking and golf to stay connected with the military, people who served during my presidency.”
Military members and veterans groups generally hold Bush in high regard, despite the nationwide protests and international controversy that grew more fervent as the American death toll grew in Afghanistan and Iraq under his command.
“What I’m concerned about is that Americans forget the sacrifice,” Bush said. “I don’t think they are right now, but one of my objectives is to make sure they never do.”
