Bush thanks Iraq war vet on game show

George W. Bush will make a special appearance Monday night on Deal or No Deal to thank a brave contestant who is a fan of the U.S. president.

Bush will thank Capt. Joseph Kobes on the NBC game show hosted by Howie Mandel for his service to his country. 

Kobes, a U.S. army transportation officer from Sumner, Wash., who has been awarded the Bronze Star twice, completed three tours of duty in Iraq. He received a Purple Heart for injuries he sustained when his truck was blown up in 2004.

"The show's producers contacted the White House after learning from Capt. Kobes that the president is one of his heroes," White House spokesman Tony Fratto said in a statement.

The president's segment was pretaped at the White House for the episode shot in March. It features Kobes as he attempts to win enough cash to pay off his parents' home. His efforts are briefly halted when Bush's video is presented.

"The president thanked him for his service to his country and for serving in Iraq, and wished him good luck," Fratto said.

Referring to the difficulty he has had balancing the U.S. budget, Bush also jokingly asks Mandel how he would like to host a $3-million US reality show.

This is how the game show works: A contestant chooses one of 26 briefcases filled with cash ranging from a penny to $1 million, and that suitcase carrying a dollar figure is his or hers to keep until potentially the end of the show. As each of the other 25 cases is opened as chosen by the contestant, he or she hopes to unveil smaller amounts of money, increasing the chances the initial suitcase chosen carries a load of cash.

As each suitcase is opened, the contestant gets offers from the show's "banker" to accept a deal for less than the $1 million US. 

"Deal or no deal?" Mandel asks. If the contestant refuses the deal, he or she can keep trying to win the $1-million US top prize.

Deal or No Deal frequently surprises contestants with visits by their heroes, but the president is the highest-profile person to appear on the show.

Stay tuned to find out whether Bush's message proved lucky for Kobes.