What is there in you and your family that likes to help raise statues and monuments?

Abraham Lincoln said, “Any nation who does not honor its heroes will not long endure,” and I want to honor our heroes. I have commissioned and lent support [for] many memorials. Also, my son spent 14 years as chairman of the now-completed Air Force Memorial. That said, I’m not interested in raising statues as much as I’m interested in honoring heroes. The main thing is getting it to be something they [the subject] like. If the person being depicted has passed away, we have his buddies involved with it so it’s just perfect – and really interesting. In the case of Army Special Forces, the Green Berets, with all their unique gear, the worst thing you can do is have the canteen on the statue in the wrong place!

How did you become involved with Gulf War syndrome, and help change the care of veterans from that conflict?

Following Operation Desert Storm, 13 Special Forces soldiers asked to visit with me, and I was honored to meet them. They brought pictures of themselves before going into combat and they all looked like Supermen. Now, when I saw them, they looked like they just had come out of Dachau [the World War II-era Nazi concentration camp near Munich, Germany]. They also brought pictures of their infants who had been born after their return from the Persian Gulf with terrible birth defects, such as one eye, missing legs, arms that stopped just below the elbow with shreds of a finger — you name it.

I discussed it with representatives in Washington and they believed it was all just stress-related. I said, “It was a hundred-hour ‘non-war’ … you can’t just say it’s stress – you just can’t make that work.” I spoke to Dr. Robert Haley at the University of Texas [UT] Southwestern Medical School. He had previously worked for the Centers for Disease Control. He agreed to begin conducting research. When the federal government learned of the research, a team was sent to the medical school informing them that if they continued with research on the project that all the federal funds for other research would be cancelled. The president of the medical school said, “We can’t stop – these men are seriously wounded.” The government officials went away, and the UT team continued with their work.

UT Southwestern Medical School then built a computer model showing where everyone was located the day each of the Iraqi chemical weapons bunkers were demolished after the war, and the direction the winds were blowing. There was a direct correlation between proximity to the explosions and the sick men being downwind, extending out to 70 miles. Eventually, Dr. Haley and I were asked to speak to both houses of Parliament in Britain, because while the U.S. had 100,000 men suffering symptoms, Great Britain had 25,000 men of their own troops suffering. The British were now on board with Dr. Haley. Everyone was working in coordination. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison [R-Texas] convinced the administration and Congress to provide federal recognition and funding for treatment of Gulf War syndrome … nobody does it better than Kay!

What do you still want to do in your life?

I’m busy taking care of business and making sure everything goes well with the company.

If I could have some wishes for my country, it would begin with a strong moral and ethical base. When I grew up in the Depression, you did whatever you said you would do. Second, have a strong family unit in every home. That’s wonderful for the children. Next, fundamentally for the future of our country, is to have the finest public schools in the world. When I was a child, we were the best educated people in the world. All the inventions and the creative thinking were coming from the U.S.A. I return to three basic themes: a strong moral/ethical base, strong family units, and the finest public schools. Get those three things right, and we would fix many of the problems in our country. I’d also like for every child growing up to be a Boy or Girl Scout. Be honest, trustworthy, loyal, and help other people at all times; while keeping themselves physically strong, mentally alert, and morally straight. It would solve a lot of problems, wouldn’t it? Scouting played a huge part in my life, and I loved it.

I cannot end without mentioning my wife, Margot. I met her while I was attending the Naval Academy, and we were married in 1956. She has been a great wife, a great mother of five children, and grandmother of 15 grandchildren. When I am asked what have been the greatest blessings of my life my response is my family, including my 15 grandchildren, are my life’s greatest blessings. And my grandchildren are growing up rapidly! Three are now in college – one is planning to go into the Air Force, one into the Navy, one into the Marine Corps.

Perot has lived a great American life, and continues to do so today. He is in his office every day, and as might be imagined, continues to take and make phone calls that influence people and events around the world. He also continues to receive numerous awards that recognize his service to America, its military, and veterans. Just a few of these include:

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The Winston Churchill Award – Presented by Prince Charles in 1986. Perot was the third recipient and first businessman to receive the award, for qualities like those of the lord and prime minister.

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The Raoul Wallenberg Award – Given in memory of the Swedish diplomat for Perot’s lifetime service, especially the 1979 rescue of EDS employees from Iran. He was the first living individual to receive the award in 1987.

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The Patrick Henry Award – Perot was the first recipient of this award, which is given to a U.S. citizen for outstanding service to the country.

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The Eisenhower Award – Given for his support of the U.S. armed forces.

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Medal for Distinguished Public Service – The highest civilian award presented by the Department of Defense, for his efforts supporting U.S. POWs.

Just this past January at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., the Department of Veterans Affairs honored Perot for his years of service and support of American veterans. He will also soon be the recipient of the prestigious Sylvanus Thayer Award from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, for representing throughout his life the words “Duty, Honor, Country.”

Authors’ note: A great many people worked very hard to make this interview and article possible. Special thanks go to Tina Smith, Barbara Conly, Sandra Dotson, Sharon Holman, Joe McNamara, Rudi Gresham, and Ross Perot Jr., who all gave their time and support to allowing Faircount Media Group to spend some time with a unique American: Ross Perot.