"Committee of 99 Distinguished Americans" Issues Call to Service to All Americans

To Mark Veterans Day, Committee Honors the 1% who Serve by Asking the 99% to Do Their Share to Keep America Strong and Free

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Code of Support Foundation

Nov 08, 2018, 08:32 ET

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Committee of 99 Distinguished Americans" today released a formal "Call to Service" asking all Americans to "do their share" to keep America strong and free. The committee, symbolic of the 99% of Americans who benefit from the service and sacrifice of the fewer than 1% who serve in our armed forces, is co-chaired by Senators Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole. Members of the committee represent all sectors of America, from public service and industry to journalism, entertainment and sports figures.

Organized by the national non-profit Code of Support Foundation (COSF), which supports veterans, service members and military families, the Call to Service also asks Americans to demonstrate their commitment to our troops by signing the Code of Support, a counterpart to the Code of Conduct which our men and women in uniform are bound to follow. In their Code, our service members pledge they are prepared to give their lives in defense of our country. In return for this profound commitment, the 99% can give meaning to the words, "Support Our Troops" by committing to the six articles of the Code of Support ("Six Simple Promises"), including the last article in which they pledge to "do their share" to support these heroes.

"We are truly blessed as a nation that so many young Americans are willing to forego many pleasures of life that the rest of us take for granted to voluntarily put on the uniform and dedicate several years of their lives to military service on our behalf," said former Senator Elizabeth Dole, honorary co-chair for the Committee of 99. Her husband and fellow honorary co-chair, Senator Bob Dole, added, "We can't expect these young men and women to shoulder the entire burden of national defense on their own. Every American has an unwritten obligation to do his or her share in whatever way is right for them."

COSF Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO, MG (Ret) Alan Salisbury commented, "The Doles are iconic representatives of Americans who have dedicated their lives to public service in a way that transcends politics. Bob Dole's history as a World War II hero is well known, as is his role in making the World War II Memorial a reality. Elizabeth Dole, through her foundation, has been instrumental in ensuring that our country takes care of and supports the thousands of hidden heroes who devote themselves around the clock to caring for our wounded veterans. It would be hard to find better role models for the 99% doing their share."

Creation of the Committee of 99 is an ongoing project. This initial publication of the Call to Service is co-signed by an outstanding cross section of distinguished Americans, from sports figures Roger Staubach and Sonny Jurgensen, to journalists Steve and Cokie Roberts, to authors Jon Meacham and Walter Isaacson, former Secretary of Defense William Cohen, and singer/songwriter Lee Greenwood ("God Bless the USA") to name a few.

The Call to Service, being published this week in many newspapers around the country, including USA TODAY, asks Americans to sign the Code of Support for our troops by going on-line to www.codeofsupport.org/calltoservice. The website also includes "99 Ways" for Americans to get involved, from engaging in suggested activities in support of our troops and veterans, to engaging in broader community service roles.

Strong communities build a strong nation, and that is the ultimate objective of this Call to Service project.

About Code of Support Foundation: Code of Support Foundation (COSF) is a national 501c3 nonprofit that provides essential and critical one-on-one assistance to those struggling service members, veterans and their families who have the most complex needs. COSF is dedicated to leveraging the nation's full spectrum of resources to ensure all members of our military, veterans and their families receive the support services they need and through their collective sacrifice have earned. Code of Support Foundation was co-founded in 2011 by MG Alan B. Salisbury (Ret.) and Executive Director Kristina Kaufmann and is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. For more information, please visit www.codeofsupport.org.

Contact: Shane Cooke
Code of Support Foundation
[email protected]
(571) 527-3240

SOURCE Code of Support Foundation