Princeton scores a touchdown for vets

Fri, 07/31/2009 - 3:32pm

Some vets are Princeton have launched a program to teach other vets how to run for office. This is an explicitly non-partisan effort. It looks pretty good, judging only by its website.

Veterans Campaign was initiated by a group of graduate students and influential professors at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Some of the members have military experience, while others have staffed and managed political campaigns. Members hold different ideological and partisan beliefs, but all share the conviction that having more veterans in public office will benefit the United States.

I agree that having vets in office is a good thing. I'd especially like to see some former enlisted run for office. I think the armed services committees of Congress used to benefit enormously from the skeptical questions of former sergeants who had spent time in the mud, and weren't necessarily awed by generals.

Durotriges/Flickr

Thomas E. Ricks | Permalink | | Comments? Login or register
( filed under: )


Advertisement

 

Professors?

by Scott Wedman on Mon, 08/03/2009 - 10:55am

What professors are involved? This just sounds like an effort by Princeton students. Check out the "about" page: http://veteranscampaign.org/?page_id=2. Or the speakers page.

Who are the "influential professors"?

Who

by Tintin on Mon, 08/03/2009 - 2:25pm

Besides the grad students (it is run by WWS grad student and Marine veteran Seth Lynn), a few undergrads are involved, mainly Army ROTC guys. Prof. Mickey Edwards (former Republican congressman) is involved and so is Rep. Jim Marshall (D-GA, was a LRRP NCO in Vietnam).

Clarification

by Seth Lynn on Mon, 08/03/2009 - 3:28pm

Scott, thanks for your interest! To answer your question, the influential professors we referred to are Rep. James Leach, who was the John L. Weinberg Visiting Professor of Public and International Affairs, and Rep. Mickey Edwards who was a lecturer in Public and International Affairs.

Both Congressmen served as honorary co-chairs, and supported and advised us as we developed the organization. Congressman Leach was recently appointed Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and therefore he is no longer affiliated with Veterans Campaign.

You are correct that Veterans Campaign is predominantly student run, and we have not involved tenured professors. In order to prevent future confusion, we have amended that sentence to read, "Veterans Campaign was initiated by a group of graduate students at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, with the support of two visiting faculty members who had formerly been members of Congress."

Thanks!

Sounds like a wonderful

by Scott Wedman on Tue, 08/04/2009 - 8:00am

Sounds like a wonderful program and I second Ricks' call to try and get some enlisted folks involved as well.