Former President George W. Bush described himself as “emotional” recently when he talked about how he was trying to make a difference for the veterans who are trying to put their lives back together after serving in the wars waged by his administration.

At a Military Service Initiative Summit last week, the former president had explained that his institute was going to take steps to assist the veterans who were trying to transition into civilian life after coming home from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

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In an interview that aired on Sunday, ABC’s Martha Raddatz asked the former president if the new initiative helped him cope with the 6,800 service members killed, and 51,000 wounded.

“No question it helps,” Bush stuttered. “I have a duty.”

“I obviously get slightly emotional talking about our vets because I’m in there with them,” he added with a single tear spilling down his right cheek.

“But my spirit is also uplifted when I visit with vets. As I say, there is no self-pity… They don’t say, ‘Woe is me.’ They say, ‘What can I do to continue to serve?'”

Watch the video below from ABC’s This Week, broadcast Feb. 23, 2014.