Stan McChrystal Issues Challenge to Presidential Candidates to Embrace National Service

March 29, 2015

Contact:  Tara Maller
Associate Director for Strategic Communications
The Franklin Project
The Aspen Institute
202-736-3513 | Tara.Maller@aspeninstitute.org

Dellie Champagne
Special Events Coordinator
Warren B. Rudman Center
UNH School of Law
603-513-1118 | Idell.Champagne@law.unh.edu

  

Stan McChrystal Issues Challenge to Presidential Candidates to Embrace National Service
Remarks of speech at University of New Hampshire School of Law will be available via live stream on March 31 at 1:00 PM ET

What: McChrystal will be speaking about the importance of national service and his work as Chair of the Franklin Project at the Aspen Institute. In his remarks, McChrystal will issue a call to action to make a year of full-time national service – a service year – a cultural expectation, common opportunity, and civic rite of passage for every young American.

Live video will be available at www.aspeninstitute.org/live

I am going to New Hampshire to challenge our leaders – to demand, in the coming Presidential election, that there is a call to create an opportunity for every young American to serve a year” said McChrystal. 

Who: Retired General Stanley C. McChrystal

When: Tuesday, March 31, 2015 at 1:00 PM ET 

Where: Warren B. Rudman Center for Justice, Leadership and Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire School of Law 

Quotes
“Over the next generation, we will need to come together to solve some big problems. We’ll only do that if we have citizens who are well-versed in working together across all the lines that divide us. A system of voluntary universal national service is an opportunity to shape Americans today so we can come together to solve big problems tomorrow. I believe that the next step in the American experiment is the expectation of a year or more of service,” said Stan McChrystal.

Director of the Franklin Project Jay Mangone also emphasized the importance of talking about national service in New Hampshire.  “New Hampshire is a state that can change big things. The eyes of the country will be looking here through the coming Presidential election. We want the country to embrace the idea that every young American should serve a year. We don’t need a military draft, we need more opportunities for full-time service in our schools, our neighborhoods, our parks, and other areas of critical need. Such service could be completed in programs like AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps, or through local organizations. We came to New Hampshire because it’s a great place to kickstart a big idea.”

Jordan Budd, interim dean of UNH School of Law said, “The Rudman Center at the University of New Hampshire School of Law is excited to welcome General Stanley McChrystal on March 31st and to provide a forum for the discussion of the General’s ambitious proposal to establish a system of universal national service.  General McChrystal has spent his life in the service of our nation, and is uniquely well qualified to lead this important national conversation.  We are honored to have him with us next week and look forward to an engaging and enlightening dialogue.”

For more information on the Franklin Project at the Aspen Institute, visit our website at www.FranklinProject.org and follow us on Twitter at @FranklinProj. Video of the remarks will be available on the Franklin Project website following the event.

For more information on the Warren B. Rudman Center for Justice, Leadership and Public Policy at the UNH School of Law visit its website at http://law.unh.edu/rudman-center and follow the UNH School of Law on Twitter at @UNHLaw.

The Franklin Project is an Aspen Institute initiative to marshal the best case for a voluntary civilian counterpart to military service in the United States. The Franklin Project believes national service can and should become a common expectation and common opportunity for all Americans to strengthen our social fabric and solve our most pressing national challenges. To realize this vision, the Franklin Project engages outstanding Americans from the private sector, higher education, government, the military, the faith community, the philanthropy, and nonprofit organizations, to develop innovative policy ideas and to build momentum around advancing a new vision of civilian service for the 21st century.  

The Warren B. Rudman Center for Justice, Leadership and Public Policy at the UNH School of Law is a non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 2013 with the support and blessing of NH Senator Warren B. Rudman. The Center is housed at The University of New Hampshire’s School of Law on White Street in Concord, NH.  The center’s mission is to create a non-partisan stage for thoughtful discussion of national policy, to inspire young people to public service and to provide a valuable resource for the people of NH. The Rudman Center also hosts a Public Forum Series that brings global policy leaders to campus and enables meaningful community involvement in the most pressing policy issues of our time. 

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