The Coalition for Effective Change held a panel discussion recently to mark the anniversary of the 30th anniversary of the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA). Unfortunately, in the eyes of the panelists, there was not much cause for celebration due not only to recent events, but the devaluing of public service and trust in government. When speaking about the mission of the CSRA, Steve Ressler, founder of the Young Government Leaders, said “The mission’s great, but we don’t sell the mission…” That mission being the one of placing great value on serving your nation because it is the right thing to do, not because the employment benefits are good. Instead of advertising great pay and health insurance, the panelists believe we need to first remove the stigma associated with public office and get back to a sort of grassroots dedication to serving the public and our nation as a whole. 

“The state of the federal service is not good,” said Paul Light, a professor of public administration at New York University. “This is not a time for tinkering. These are problems that we face … that require something bigger.” The U.S. Public Service Academy is something bigger. It can offer all that America’s public sector is in dire need of– a large number of individuals working toward a common goal with a dedication to ideals, a strong belief in service as a virtue, and willingness to sacrifice for the betterment of our nation. The U.S. Public Service Academy will do just that and more.