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Dear
Service Leaders,
We
are pleased to share this press release from the National Commission on
Military, National, and Public Service, a new federal entity established by
Congress last year.
Over
the next two and half years, the 11-member Commission will conduct a review and
provide recommendations about the military selective service process and ways to increase participation in military,
national, and public service in order to address national security and other needs
of the nation.
A
significant part of the what the Commission will be studying is related to the work of CNCS and our
partners around the country - including increasing the ethic of service,
supporting and engaging veterans, incentivizing volunteerism, and national
service as a pathway to skills and workforce development.
CNCS
will be working closely with the Commission as it sparks a national
conversation around the value of service and develops recommendations to
encourage more Americans to serve. We look forward to providing more
information about the Commission and future opportunities for national service
grantees, partners, members, and alums to share their input and ideas.
If
you have questions or ideas about our work with the Commission, please contact
Sandy Scott at sscott@cns.gov.
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Arlington, VA: On September 19-21, 2017, the
National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service (the
“Commission”) convened to swear in members, elect leadership, and discuss the
Commission’s goals and objectives.
Established by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, the Commission is charged with considering and developing recommendations concerning the need for a military draft, and means by which to foster a greater attitude and ethos of service among American youth.
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The Commission, which includes a former
deputy director of the Selective Service, former director of the Peace Corps,
and former Principal Deputy National Security Advisor, brings together diverse
experiences from service in the military, public office, on Capitol Hill, and
with not-for-profit organizations.
Commissioners elected Dr. Joseph Heck as
Chair, Mr. Mark Gearan as Vice Chair for National and Public Service, and Ms.
Debra Wada as Vice Chair for Military Service.
Chairman
Heck reflected on the important work to come: “Over the course of the next
two-plus years, we intend to listen to the public and learn from those who
serve to recommend ideas to foster a greater ethos of military, national, and
public service to strengthen American democracy. We hope to ignite a national conversation
around service and, ultimately, develop recommendations that will encourage
every American to be inspired and eager to serve.”
Members of the Commission are:
- Mr.
Edward T. Allard III, former Deputy Director of the Selective Service System
- Mr.
Steve Barney, former General Counsel to the Senate Armed Service Committee
- The
Honorable Janine Davidson, former Under Secretary of the Navy
- The
Honorable Mark Gearan, former Director of the Peace Corps
- Ms.
Avril Haines, former Principal Deputy National Security Advisor
- The
Honorable Dr. Joseph Heck, former Member of the House of Representatives (R-NV)
- Ms.
Jeanette James, former Professional Staff Member of the House Armed Service
Committee
- Mr.
Alan Khazei, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Be the Change, Inc.
- Mr.
Thomas Kilgannon, President of Freedom Alliance
- Ms.
Shawn Skelly, former Director, Executive Secretariat, U.S. Department of
Transportation
- The
Honorable Debra Wada, former Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and
Reserve Affairs
Commissioners further indicated their
gratitude to the Congress, particularly the leadership of the Armed Services
Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives, for prioritizing
this work. All Commissioners look
forward to working with both Chambers and the Administration to advance
opportunities for service to our nation.
The Commission intends to issue its final report in late 2019.
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