Prince Harry emphasizes need to better apply veterans' skills during roundtable with service members

WASHINGTON (AP) — Prince Harry urged communities to better apply service members' skills when they return to the workforce during an intimate gathering with U.S. veterans Wednesday night.

“The world needs more heroes,” he told the roundtable. “And it’s not about creating more heroes because they already live among us. It’s about being able to really value their expertise, their experiences.”

The Duke of Sussex, who served 10 years in the British Army, hinted that he’d soon launch a “commercial” solution that “really values those who served rather than expect them to volunteer.”

He held the discussion with veterans, defense officials, military spouses and nonprofit leaders at a hotel ballroom in Washington, D.C. The conversation — which was organized by The Independence Fund, a nonprofit that helps critically wounded service members — lasted more than 80 minutes.

Veterans’ services and mental health have become cornerstones of Harry and his wife Meghan’s philanthropy through their Archewell Foundation. The Duke of Sussex founded the Invictus Games, a Paralympic-style international competition for wounded service members, in 2014. His advocacy also includes visits with wounded military personnel, like last year’s stop at a Ukrainian clinic that rehabilitates victims of war.

Harry’s British military service included two tours in Afghanistan. He has credited his experience witnessing fellow soldiers’ battlefield injuries with inspiring him to help injured veterans lead healthy lives. In a 2023 Netflix series, he spoke openly about lacking the necessary emotional support upon his return from combat.

Harry told the roundtable that it has been refreshing to hear the latest generation of veterans express an interest in “purpose" and “service after service” —- no matter their branch or country of service. He extolled their communication skills, moral leadership and ability to work in high stress environments.

But, he said in an interview with The Associated Press, that those skills are “not being transitioned over within the civilian world."

In between jokes about each other’s hair and their alma maters, wounded veterans emphasized the importance of exercise in their rehabilitation. Garrett J. Carnes, a retired marine corporal who lost both legs, said inactivity is difficult when they’ve spent so long priding themselves on their physical fitness. “I give all glory to Jesus Christ,” he said, “but man I am so thankful that he invented Jiu-Jitsu.”

Others highlighted the need to improve the quality of veterans’ health centers in smaller towns and bolster mental health services at overworked Veterans Affairs offices.

Jason Wheeler, a U.S. Navy and Army veteran, said it's “not right” that he was unable to get his military benefits to cover a recent surgery. Sitting in a wheelchair, he teared up as he recalled the “humiliating” time he had to crawl off a commercial airplane with his service dog.

He was told he would never walk again, he said, but has since walked over 1,000 feet.

“I will not stop the fight. I will not quit,” he said. “We don’t have it in us.”

Harry’s earlier stops Wednesday included Arlington National Cemetery, where he laid a wreath, and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He did not mention reports of his decision to return to the United Kingdom for an extended stay with Meghan and their children. He declined to comment when asked to discuss the move.

Sarah Verardo, the CEO of The Independence Fund, noted Harry’s impact on the patients at Walter Reed. A few veterans who told Harry they were too injured to participate in his Invictus Games left their interactions standing “taller and stronger” after he told them there’s “no such thing,” according to Verardo.

Jane Horton, a senior defense adviser in the Trump administration and Gold Star wife, appreciated that Harry is using his platform to unite veterans.

“To see someone that has turned pain into purpose in such a beautiful way such as Prince Harry — not only turn pain into purpose, but pain into service — resonated with the whole community and means a lot to us all,” she told AP.

In an interview with AP, Harry spoke more broadly about the need to elevate “moral leadership.” He expressed concern that a “very, very small group of people are making decisions that are impacting the entire world” around politics and technology.

“What we need,” he said, “is the younger generation coming into leadership who perhaps see the world slightly differently. And I think a little less testosterone might do as well.”

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Sarah Verardo, CEO of The Independence Fund, speaks to The Associated Press after a roundtable with Britain's Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, about support for veterans, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) CORRECTIONS: Corrects name to Verardo, instead of Verado

Britain's Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, listens as Sarah Verardo, CEO of The Independence Fund, speaks to The Associated Press after a roundtable about support for veterans, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) CORRECTIONS: Corrects name to Verardo, instead of Verado

Britain's Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, speaks to The Associated Press after a roundtable about support for veterans, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Washington, as Sarah Verardo, CEO, of The Independence Fund, listens. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) CORRECTIONS: Corrects name to Verardo, instead of Verado

Sarah Verado, CEO of The Independence Fund, speaks to The Associated Press after a roundtable with Britain's Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, about support for veterans, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Britain's Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, listens as Sarah Verado, CEO of The Independence Fund, speaks to The Associated Press after a roundtable about support for veterans, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Britain's Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, speaks to The Associated Press after a roundtable about support for veterans, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Washington, as Sarah Verado, CEO, of The Independence Fund, listens. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

U.S. Army and U.S. Navy veteran Jason Wheeler speaks during a roundtable with Britain's Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Britain's Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, speaks at a roundtable about support for veterans, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Pat Murphy doesn’t sound like the manager of a team with the best record in the major leagues as he discusses what the Milwaukee Brewers have accomplished thus far.

“I don’t think we’ve played great,” the two-time reigning NL manager of the year said Wednesday. “We haven’t really jelled. We haven’t really come together."

The Brewers’ results tell a different story.

Milwaukee appears well on its way to earning its eighth playoff berth in the last nine seasons as it chases a fourth consecutive NL Central title. The Brewers won three of four from the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers last weekend and trounced Seattle 22-0 on Tuesday before their four-game winning streak ended with a 7-5 loss to the Mariners on Wednesday.

“There’s so much that I see that needs to improve, yet you look up and everybody’s saying, ‘Wow, I love the way you play,’ “ Murphy said before Wednesday's game. “And I look funny and I look behind me, and I see if they’re talking to someone else. Really? Maybe I’m too critical. Maybe I’m missing something. I don’t know. I do trust the team.”

They’ve been rewarding that trust.

The Brewers just completed a 17-day run that included no days off, one complete West Coast trip and part of another. They went 10-7 during that stretch.

After losing three straight games at San Diego last week, the Brewers responded by winning a series with the Dodgers, who swept them out of the NL Championship Series last year. After finally getting a day off Monday, the Brewers delivered their 22-0 blowout of Seattle that matched the most one-sided shutout in modern MLB history.

“I think it says we’re a good baseball team,” first baseman Jake Bauers said. “I think in tough times it can be easy to lose sight of that, but we have the right people around to bounce back when things get tough, and we have the right people around to continue to play winning baseball.”

Milwaukee has needed to stay hot to remain ahead of the Chicago Cubs, who have won 11 of their last 16 games and are 4 1/2 behind Milwaukee in the NL Central standings. The Brewers and Cubs face off in a four-game series Aug. 31-Sept. 3 at Wrigley Field before meeting again for three games in Milwaukee from Sept. 7-9.

During that grueling 17-day run, the Brewers encountered some criticism for their inability to acquire two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. The Brewers made a strong push to land Skubal, only to see the Detroit Tigers send him to the Dodgers instead.

Having NL Cy Young Award front-runner Jacob Misiorowski and Skubal fronting a starting rotation in a playoff series would have given the Brewers perhaps their best shot at making the postseason breakthrough that has eluded them during the franchise’s longest run of sustained success. The Brewers haven’t reached a World Series since 1982 and have never won it all.

Logan Henderson, an outstanding rookie pitcher the Brewers chose to keep rather than including in a trade last month, outdueled Skubal in Sunday’s series finale at Los Angeles. The 6-2 victory improved Henderson’s record to 7-2 with a 2.70 ERA.

The Brewers pivoted after the Skubal trade by acquiring former St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Dustin May, who is seeking to become the latest in a growing list of starting pitchers to improve after joining the Brewers. Left-hander Kyle Harrison, who also is thriving in his first year in Milwaukee, attributes that trend to Milwaukee’s pitching coaching staff of Chris Hook, Jim Henderson and Juan Sandoval.

“They’re so good at just knowing who you are as an individual and knowing what you need,” Harrison said. “Shoot, yeah, they’ve been doing it for a while now, too, so it’s pretty cool to have those guys you can trust and rely on.”

The Brewers believe they have the makings of a quality playoff rotation with Misiorowski, Henderson, Harrison and May. Milwaukee has withstood injuries that knocked two-time All-Star Brandon Woodruff out for the season and prevented Quinn Priester from pitching at all this year.

Milwaukee’s lineup has produced the fewest homers in the big leagues, yet the Brewers remain among the top five teams in scoring. Bauers’ breakthrough season has helped the Brewers overcome down years from 2018 NL MVP Christian Yelich and three-time All-Star William Contreras.

Without naming names, Murphy said: “I watch some of our leaders that might not be getting the results, but the way they handle everybody else is pretty impressive.” Murphy added that might be one of the keys to this team’s success.

Another is simply the ability to continue competing even when things aren’t going smoothly.

“Maybe that’s the secret,” Murphy said. “Maybe this team still plays well enough to be close when they’re not at their best.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Milwaukee Brewers' Jake Bauers is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy looks on during the third inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)