Current:Home > ContactGen. Stanley McChrystal on what would close the divide in America -Quantum Capital Pro
Gen. Stanley McChrystal on what would close the divide in America
PredictIQ Quantitative Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-07 10:00:55
Political divisions are tearing our nation apart. Perhaps not since the last decade before our Civil War have differing perspectives so threatened the very fabric of American society. Many of us have seen similar forces in places like Iraq and Afghanistan produce unspeakable pain and tragedy and know that something must be done. But what?
My military career taught me that young Americans, recruited from every corner of our nation, representing different races, religions, incomes, and accents can be brought together under a single flag, for a common purpose, and do great things. During the Depression they built roads, parks and other things that have contributed to every generation that followed. When World Wars I and II erupted, they united to protect not only America, but the world. They came together as diverse as our society, and built bridges, not just over rivers, but also to fellow citizens.
Their greatest contribution was not any physical structure; it was in shaping themselves into what Tom Brokaw so aptly described as the "Greatest Generation." I might simply call them good citizens.
We can, and must, do that again, by harnessing the power of letting young Americans serve something bigger than themselves.
We can do it through what is often called national service. It is a simple concept: Young Americans come together for a year or two and work together in efforts as varied as healthcare, education, conservation, the military, or other community projects. For that period of their lives, before they go on to jobs, school, or family life, they work alongside other Young Americans serving fellow citizens and learning about each other – and themselves.
So, how could this work? First, it exists today in the many programs like AmeriCorps, City Year, and Vista, but needs to be expanded. A public/private partnership providing essential funding for stipends and other needs, creating programs and opportunities, and establishing a set of supporting policies – like educational grants and job placement for national service "veterans" – is needed. It costs money and takes effort, but the benefits of producing better citizens who are more connected to each other would be worth any amount.
And the time to get serious is now.
For more info:
- Stan McChrystal, McChrystal Group
Story produced by Dustin Stephens and Robert Marston.
- In:
- Stanley McChrystal
veryGood! (3)
Related
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Federal judges deal the oil industry another setback in climate litigation
- In a flood-ravaged Tennessee town, uncertainty hangs over the recovery
- We’re Not Alright After Learning Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson Might Be Brothers
- The company planning a successor to Concorde makes its first supersonic test
- Jeremy Renner Reunites With Hospital Staff Who Saved His Life After Snowplow Accident
- Drought threatens coal plant operations — and electricity — across the West
- There's a nationwide Sriracha shortage, and climate change may be to blame
- Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
- Drought threatens coal plant operations — and electricity — across the West
Ranking
- Federal hiring is about to get the Trump treatment
- Zombie ice will raise sea levels more than twice as much as previously forecast
- Get Thick, Natural-Looking Eyebrows With This $25 Deal on 2 Top-Selling Too Faced Products
- Can Fragrances Trigger Arousal? These Scents Will Get You in the Mood, According to a Perfumer
- Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
- Amazon Shoppers Say These Best-Selling Cleaning Products Saved Them Time & Money
- Decades of 'good fires' save Yosemite's iconic grove of ancient sequoia trees
- There's a nationwide Sriracha shortage, and climate change may be to blame
Recommendation
Intellectuals vs. The Internet
Vanderpump Rules' Raquel Leviss Seeking Mental Health Treatment
Love Is Blind Season 4 Finale: Find Out Who Got Married and Who Broke Up
Insurances woes in coastal Louisiana make hurricane recovery difficult
Small twin
Officials and volunteers struggle to respond to catastrophic flooding in Pakistan
North West Makes Surprise Appearance Onstage at Katy Perry Concert in Las Vegas
Ecologists say federal wildfire plans are dangerously out of step with climate change