ROLLING W:

And there were 19 other stories just like DeWitt's. Men who had suffered, survived, and come to Crawford, Texas, to join their brothers in fellowship for Memorial Day weekend for the third-annual Wounded Warrior 100K Ride, sponsored by former President George W. Bush.

It's easy for critics to make partisan remarks, like "George Bush should be riding with wounded warriors, 'cause he caused their wounds." But most would withhold such cheap shots if they'd ever observed the countless meetings he has held over the years with families of the fallen and wounded vets--and purposefully never publicized. He carries a profound respect for our military men and women and understands and appreciates more than anyone the sacrifices they have made. And he is determined, through the Military Services Initiative of the Bush Institute, to find ways to help veterans with jobs, housing, education, their families, and women's issues.

"We have two goals. One is to continually remind the country about the importance of supporting vets," Bush said at the ride. "You can help a veteran find a job, you can help a veteran who is homeless, you can feed a veteran, you can love a veteran. Second: we are going to analyze what works and what doesn't work among the organizations helping veterans. Our first focus is on helping vets find jobs. We are aiming to make sure that the outpouring of support that is so predominant in our country is channeled in an effective way."

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