Called to Serve: Stories from Courage Can Save US
October 6, 2026
In the aftermath of 9/11, Americans answered the call to serve in extraordinary numbers. The desire to serve—whether in the military or in one’s community—was palpable across the nation.
Join Ford’s Theatre for an inspiring conversation that honors the courage, sacrifice, and commitment of those who answered that call. Author Rye Barcott takes inspiration from stories shared in his book, Courage Can Save US, and joins Congressman Don Bacon, William Braniff, and Phyllis J. Wilson in conversation about what happens when ordinary people are called to do extraordinary things.
These are stories of bravery, quiet resolve and lives reshaped by moments that, for each of these individuals, became a catalyst compelling them toward a life of service. This discussion is an invitation to remember, to honor and to find hope in humanity’s capacity to rise.
Come From Away performances and public programs are generously underwritten by the Come From Away Commemorative Committee, Honorary Chairs, President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush, and Committee Chairs Anita and Tim McBride.
Our Guests
Rye Barcott
Rye Barcott is a Marine Corps veteran, social entrepreneur, investor, and New York Times-bestselling author of Courage Can Save US. He is co-founder and CEO of With Honor, a cross-partisan organization that fights polarization by supporting principled veteran leadership in public office. As a college student, he co-founded CFK Africa, a locally led youth leadership organization in Nairobi, Kenya. He later co-founded Double Time Capital, a solar power investment firm. His first book, It Happened on the Way to War: A Marine’s Path to Peace, juxtaposes humanitarian and military service. Dartmouth College awarded him an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.
Don Bacon
Congressman Don Bacon represents Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. A retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier General, he served nearly 30 years on active duty and commanded two of the Air Force’s largest installations, Ramstein Air Base in Germany and Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. During his nearly 10 years in Congress, he has drawn on that experience in his work on national security, veterans’ issues, agriculture, and cybersecurity, and his office has been recognized as among the most effective and bipartisan in Congress. Congressman Bacon currently serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Agriculture Committee and chairs the Armed Services Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation. Congressman Bacon and his wife, Angie, have been married for over forty years and have four children and eight grandchildren.
William Braniff
William Braniff is the Executive Director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL) and a research assistant professor in the Department of Justice, Law, and Criminology (JLC) at the School of Public Affairs at American University. He most recently served as the Director of the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) at the United States Department of Homeland Security, overseeing the implementation of its public health-informed approach to targeted violence and terrorism prevention. Under his leadership, CP3 expanded its engagement with civil society, improved coordination across government, and implemented innovative violence prevention strategies across the country. Prior to his federal leadership role at DHS, Braniff served as the Director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) and as a Professor of the Practice at the University of Maryland, where he led major federally funded research initiatives and helped train a new generation of counterterrorism scholars and practitioners.
Phyllis J. Wilson
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Phyllis J. Wilson is a 37-year veteran of the United States Army. She served as an intelligence officer with the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and U.S. Special Operations Command in Iraq. Phyllis also had a civilian career as a Registered Nurse during the 16 years she served in the Army Reserve. She is a graduate of the Defense Language Institute for both German and Spanish, has jumped out of military airplanes, and has two master’s degrees. She has been inducted into both the Army Women’s Foundation Hall of Fame and the U.S. Veterans Hall of Fame.
She is the President of the Military Women’s Memorial located at Arlington National Cemetery, which is America’s only major national memorial honoring the more than 3 million women who have defended America, from the American Revolution to today.