Last week, Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” broadcast his show from Baghdad, Iraq in conjunction with the USO. I am a faithful viewer of “The Daily Show” and love Mr. Colbert, but I have to admit, his show is not in my DVR queue. I sneak a segment online here and there. However, upon hearing about his head being shaved on stage by General Odierno and knowing all about his consistent support of the troops, I set the record button for all four shows. He was hysterical, the troops impressive, and through his goofy exploits, was brilliant at informing all of us back home that there is still a war going on where over 130,000 Americans are representing and protecting us.
I started to think about military service and how the word sacrifice cannot even begin to capture the depth of commitment enlisted men and women and officers make for people they don’t even know. I’d venture to guess that many of them don’t even grasp the weight of their decision when they enlist, or join the Reserve or pursue the goal of getting into one of the military academies. And yet, there they find themselves, thousands of miles away in harm’s way, and with a country at home that largely doesn’t know or understand what is going on for them.
In one of the coolest moments of the Colbert Report’s shows, Colbert was joined on stage by Command Sargent Major Frank Grippe, the highest enlisted man in the Army and an imposing one at that! Colbert asked him to command the troops to “put their right hand in” and of course Grippe was on to Colbert and his hokey-pokey shenanigans in about two seconds. Instead, he lead them in the Army fight song, which they all sang loud and proud and yes, I totally teared up.
It was at this moment that I realized what some people may not be getting about the importance of our desire to create a US Public Service Academy and it is the culture of service that can only be fostered in a campus atmosphere. Seeing the troops all together, knowing they had all endured the same kind of basic training, the same types of discipline that fosters respect for themselves and the mission, seeing their focus on Cmd Sgt Major Grippe, I knew in that moment how critical it is to have a campus dedicated to the training of civil service leaders. No amount of scattered scholarship programs across random public policy schools can replace the culture and commitment that an Academy will foster and we only need look at our Armed Forces to see the success we have created there. So put your right hand in, and give thumbs up to the USPSA!
It is time to offer this opportunity to our young leaders, and to do it from the top down. Please email your Representative and Senators NOW and tell them to support and pass the US Public Service Academy Act THIS YEAR. Links are on our home page!
USAFA12 responded on 14 Aug 2009 at 5:21 pm #
The idea of a USPSA is an interesting one that I and several of my colleagues here at the US Air Force Academy just can’t get our heads around. At USAFA, and the other Academies, we’re all bonded by the tough things we’ve gone through and the commraderie we share as future officers in the US Air Force, or other branch. But a Public Service institution wanting to have that same idea… I might need a little more explanation. Service Academies like to exchange cadets with one another, so how would an Air Force cadet exchange with someone at the Public Service Academy? Would they? My guess is probably not, seeing that those in the USPSA didn’t take the same oath that we have taken in the military, nor have any military training. Would the occupants of the USPSA take an oath? And what would separate USPSA from a normal institution? As someone who went to a “normal” college for 2 years prior to coming to USAFA, I’m curious how USPSA would differ from that.
The other Academies differ due to the military training, emphasis on athletics, and the strong commitment to a higher calling than yourself. If the USPSA doesn’t have the emphasis on athletics or a “basic training” (don’t know why you’d need one in the first place), then what would set it apart from say, UNC or the University of Florida?
This idea looks great on paper, but let’s get real here: If you want more public servants, try pushing for colleges to lower the price of tuition. As a USAFA cadet, my specialty will be as an Air Force officer. For a USPSA cadet (or whatever you’ll call them), their specialty will be… doctor? nurse? lawyer? cop? Who is their allegiance to? Other Academy cadets and midshipmen serve under their branch of service… How would that work for the USPSA people?
Just a thought.