Comments from Readers
July 18, 2006
A few days ago, we put up a posting about how a government-funded and run "service academy" might serve as potential breeding ground for Generation Y change agents. Since then, we have received some interesting comments about such an idea. Here are a few of them:
~ From R. Lancaster (Colorado Springs)
A government-run Public Service Academy would suffer the same fate as other government programs. A bureaucracy would be established and the costs would mount. Eventually, the per-pupil cost would be beyond justification, but the momentum of this academy would prevent its closure. If this is really a viable path to government service (I'm not convinced it is), then exploit the military ROTC scholarship model and offset the cost of a publicly-available education. Create a curriculum for a minor in "public service," (echo ROTC's "military science") and tap the best graduates to attend a Masters Degree program in an area benefiting the government. Target the natural leaders and place them where they can grow.
Our military academies are not the ideal model to sell this concept, since I believe they are not doing well in delivering the desired product: leaders. Individually, the young people entering our academies are the best of our best. However, their qualities are not a product of the institution that will be training them, but inherent in each person prior to their academy experience. The trouble for today's military academy is--to paraphrase an author I recently read--academies take 18-year-old men and women and turn out 22-year-old boys and girls. Take these same malleable young people and move them to the "real world" education system where they learn to make decisions as independent students--decisions of right and wrong, academic area, human interaction and all the other aspects of "growing up."
If people for government service is what we hope for, combine the recruiting and education scholarships of our military services and non-uniformed services. Pay for some or all of an education for deserving students, with the appropriate post-education employment commitment. Identify and develop the potential leaders from within the system, and help them take the path best meeting our national objectives, whether it be military or non-military service.
~ From B.Strong (New York, New York)
Greetings,
I couldn't agree more with the need for a public service academy. As a "plank owner" in the Department of Homeland Security I also believe a graduate level school for DHS is appropriate. After reading the PSA proposal, this grad school (build on the same model as ICAF, Army War College, etcetera) could be part of this service academy.
Keep up the good work. I am reading the white paper, consider myself a change agent (in a very up hill battle) and am willing to contribute to help win the war on terror!
Best wishes!
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