Mirroring the Military Code of Conduct, the Code is a set of six simple promises all Americans can make, giving real meaning to the words, “support our troops.”
THE CODE OF SUPPORT
I
I am an American. I know that the men and women in our Armed Forces are prepared to give their lives to defend my country, my way of life and the blessings of liberty throughout the world. I am committed to their perpetual recognition, appreciation and support.
II
As they have sworn to defend me and protect our country, so will I pledge to support them in every way that I can, and to avoid any action that would increase their risk. I will further do my part to ensure that they are never sent into harm’s way without all of the necessary resources to protect them and to fulfill their mission.
III
If they become prisoners of war, are missing in action, are wounded, or lose their lives, I will keep faith with them and their loved ones. I will not rest until we find them, heal them, and return them to their comrades, their loved ones and their nation.
IV
For our military veterans, I pledge unfailing recognition and appreciation for their contributions to our national defense and our welfare. I will not forget my nation’s responsibility to provide for their continued wellbeing, and meaningful compensation for their sacrifice.
V
I understand that our service men and women do not make national policy, but are sworn to obey their civilian leadership and defend the constitution, I will respect their faithful service to the nation and always give them my unqualified support.
VI
I will never forget that our service men and women are fighting for my freedom and are dedicated to the principles which make our country free. I will share the responsibility for preserving that freedom with those who proudly wear the uniform of the United States of America.
WHY THEY SIGNED
These leaders and influencers lend their power to the Code of Support – committing their efforts and resources to helping those who served us all.
COMMITTEE OF 99 DISTINGUISHED AMERICANS
Former Senators Robert & Elizabeth Dole
Honorary Committee of 99 Co-Chairs
President Jimmy Carter & Rosalynn Carter
Donald Rumsfeld
Chuck Hagel
William Cohen
Former Secretaries of Defense
Admiral Michael Mullen, USN (Ret.)
Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Kathryn Sullivan
Former NOAA Administrator, first American woman to walk in space
Bob Schieffer
Tom Brokaw
Dan Rather
George Will
Eleanor Clift
Steve Roberts
Journalists
Evan Thomas
Jon Meacham
Walter Isaacson
Journalists and Historians
Jay Leno
Entertainer
Ryan Seacrest
Entertainer
Robert Irvine
Chef, Restaurant Impossible
Dave Navarro
Musician
Derek Hough
Entertainer
Lee Greenwood
Country Singer, Songwriter
Mario Andretti
Car Racing Legend
Whitey Ford
NY Yankees Hall of Famer
Rocky Bleier
NFL Legend & Purple Heart Recipient
Roger Staubach
Sonny Jurgensen
NFL Legends
John Hennessy
Chairman of Alphabet, Inc,
Vinton G. Cerf
“Father of the internet”
Jared Allen
Five-time NFL Pro Bowl player and founder, Homes for Wounded Warriors
CDR Everett Alvarez
POW for 8 years in the Hanoi Hilton
HON Norman R. Augustine
Former Under Secretary of the Army and Chairman & CEO of Lockheed Martin
Harvey C. “Barney” Barnum, COL, USMC (Ret)
Medal of Honor recipient, Vietnam War
Dr. Paul Berg
Nobel Laureate, Chemistry
AMB John R. Beyrle
Former U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation and to Bulgaria
John Bridgeland
Founder and CEO, Civic Enterprises; Vice Chair, Service Year Alliance, The Aspen Institute
Jack Canfield
Author (“Chicken Soup for the Soul” series co-author), motivational speaker
HON James Clapper
Former Director of National Intelligence (DNI)
Douglas Cohn
Syndicated columnist, historian and author
Kenneth Fisher
Chairman & CEO, Fisher House Foundation
Senator Bill Bradley
Former United States Senator, NBA star, Rhodes Scholar
G. P. “Bud” Peterson, Ph.D.
11th President, Georgia Institute of Technology
SMA Kenneth O. Preston, USA (Ret)
Former Sergeant Major of the Army
SEN Charles Robb
Former U.S. Senator and Governor of Virginia
Lynda Bird Johnson Robb
Former Chairwoman of the President’s Advisory Committee for Women
Jan Scruggs
Founder and president emeritus of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Beverly “Ben” Skardon, COL, USA (Ret)
Survivor, Bataan Death March, WWII
AMB Michael Smith
Former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative
HON Deborah Wince-Smith
President and CEO, Council on Competitiveness
Jack Jacobs, COL, USA (Ret)
Medal of Honor Recipient, Vietnam War
HON Dirk Kempthorne
Former U.S. Senator, Governor of Idaho, and Secretary of the Interior.
Dr. John C. Mather
Nobel Laureate, Physics
HON Robert A. McDonald
Former Secretary of the Veterans Administration, and Chairman & CEO of Procter & Gamble
Dr. Alan Merten
President Emeritus, George Mason University
John Foley
Former Navy Blue Angels Solo Pilot, consultant and motivational speaker.
SGT Noah M. Galloway
Wounded “Iraqi Freedom” veteran, motivational speaker and author
GEN Ann E. Dunwoody, USA (Ret)
First woman in U.S. military history to achieve four-star rank
HON Michele Flournoy
Co-Founder and former CEO, Center for a New American Security
Dr. Gordon Mueller
Founder and President Emeritus, World War II Museum
Dr. C. D. (Dan) Mote, Jr.
President, National Academy of Engineering
Bo Derek
Film and television actress, producer and model
Everyone has the chance to make a difference in the lives of veterans and their families who are struggling. Signing the Code of Support shows that you are committed to fulfilling the promise of service to those who risked their lives for our freedoms. It is the first step in giving back – find out more about how you can help today.
SIGNERS OF THE CODE OF SUPPORT
Former Senators Robert & Elizabeth Dole
Honorary Co-Chairs, Committee of 99 Distinguished Americans
President Jimmy Carter & Rosalynn Carter
Donald Rumsfeld, Chuck Hagel & William Cohen
Former Secretaries of Defense
Al Roker
Entertainer
Admiral Michael Mullen, USN (Ret.)
Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Kathryn Sullivan
Former NOAA Administrator, first American woman to walk in space
Tom Brokaw
Dan Rather
George Will
Eleanor Clift
Steve Roberts
Journalists
Jay Leno
Entertainer
Ryan Seacrest
Entertainer
Robert Irvine
Chef, Restaurant Impossible
Dave Navarro
Musician
Clint Black
Musician
Derek Hough
Entertainer
Toby Keith
Musician
Evan Thomas
Jon Meacham
Walter Isaacson
Journalists and Historians
Lee Greenwood
Country Singer, Songwriter
Mario Andretti
Car Racing Legend
Whitey Ford
NY Yankees Hall of Famer
Rocky Bleier
NFL Legend & Purple Heart Recipient
Roger Staubach
Sonny Jurgensen
NFL Legends
John Hennessy
Chairman of Alphabet, Inc,
Vinton G. Cerf
“Father of the internet”
Jared Allen
Five-time NFL Pro Bowl player, and founder, Homes for Wounded Warriors
CDR Everett Alvarez
POW for 8 years in the Hanoi Hilton
HON Norman R. Augustine
Former Under Secretary of the Army and Chairman & CEO of Lockheed Martin
Harvey C. “Barney” Barnum, COL, USMC (Ret)
Medal of Honor recipient, Vietnam War
Dr. Paul Berg
Nobel Laureate, Chemistry
AMB John R. Beyrle
Former U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation and to Bulgaria
John Bridgeland
Founder and CEO, Civic Enterprises; Vice Chair, Service Year Alliance, The Aspen Institute
Jack Canfield
Author (“Chicken Soup for the Soul” series co-author), motivational speaker
HON James Clapper
Former Director of National Intelligence (DNI)
Douglas Cohn
Syndicated columnist, historian and author
Bo Derek
Film and television actress, producer and model
GEN Ann E. Dunwoody, USA (Ret)
First woman in U.S. military history to achieve four-star rank
Kenneth Fisher
Chairman & CEO, Fisher House Foundation
HON Michele Flournoy
Co-Founder and former CEO, Center for a New American Security
Justina Machado
Actress
Maria Elena Salinas
Journalist
Erendira Ibarra
Actress
Alyssa Raghu
American Idol singer
Dr. Gordon Mueller
Founder and President Emeritus, World War II Museum
Senator Bill Bradley
Former United States Senator, NBA star, Rhodes Scholar
G. P. “Bud” Peterson, Ph.D.
11th President, Georgia Institute of Technology
SMA Kenneth O. Preston, USA (Ret)
Former Sergeant Major of the Army
SEN Charles Robb
Former U.S. Senator and Governor of Virginia
Lynda Bird Johnson Robb
Former Chairwoman of the President’s Advisory Committee for Women
Bob Schieffer
Television journalist
Jan Scruggs
Founder and president emeritus of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Beverly “Ben” Skardon, COL, USA (Ret)
Survivor, Bataan Death March, WWII
AMB Michael Smith
Former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative
HON Deborah Wince-Smith
President and CEO, Council on Competitiveness
Jack Jacobs, COL, USA (Ret)
Medal of Honor Recipient, Vietnam War
HON Dirk Kempthorne
Former U.S. Senator, Governor of Idaho, and Secretary of the Interior.
Dr. John C. Mather
Nobel Laureate, Physics
HON Robert A. McDonald
Former Secretary of the Veterans Administration, and Chairman & CEO of Procter & Gamble
Dr. Alan Merten
President Emeritus, George Mason University
John Foley
Former Navy Blue Angels Solo Pilot, consultant and motivational speaker.
SGT Noah M. Galloway
Wounded “Iraqi Freedom” veteran, motivational speaker and author
Dr. C. D. (Dan) Mote, Jr.
President, National Academy of Engineering
Jon Huertas
Actor
Cokie Roberts*
Journalist
Not an exhaustive list.
*In memoriam
