From the campaign trail in Colorado Springs, CO, Senator Barack Obama is calling on Americans to become active public servants during what he hopes to be an Obama Administration. We here at the Academy are thrilled that Obama is showing the leadership necessary to inspire, promote and demand public service. However, what the country also needs are trained civilian leaders to organize, manage, and direct these civil servants and volunteers in areas of need like education, emergency management, foreign service, and all manner of local, state and federal government administration. And that is just what the US Public Service Academy will provide!
The blogosphere is lighting up in conversation today about Obama’s main talking points which are:
- Encourage national service to address the great challenges of our time, including combating climate change, extending health care, improving our schools and strengthening America overseas by showing the world the best of our nation.
- Expand AmeriCorps to 250,000 slots and double the size of the Peace Corps.
- Integrate service-learning into our schools and universities to enable students to graduate college with as many as 17 weeks of service experience under their belts.
- Provide new service opportunities for working Americans and retirees.
- Expand service initiatives that engage disadvantaged young people and advance their education.
- Expand the capacity of nonprofits to innovate and expand successful programs across the country.
- Enable more Americans to serve in the armed forces.
It seems to this former teacher that these ideas are excellent, but somewhat broad and a bit vague. How can we pull it off? With trained civilian leadership, that is how, and that is what the Academy will provide. It is time to support the Academy Senator Obama!
