As a veteran, I am proud that Georgia’s future leaders are in a classroom
Standing in Milledgeville recently to accept Georgia Military College’s Lifetime Achievement Award, I found myself thinking about the people who made it possible, and about the young people who will do far more than I ever did.
After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1964, I was fortunate to serve 32 years in active duty and to command ships at sea.
Following command of the Eisenhower Battle Group during Operation Desert Shield, I returned to Annapolis as superintendent of the Naval Academy from 1991 to 1994 and finished my military career as director of the Navy staff at the Pentagon.
Along the way, I learned what it means to be entrusted with the lives and futures of other people. I also learned that no leader accomplishes anything alone, and that the work that outlasts a career is the opportunity you create for someone else.
As we know, leadership must be earned; no one becomes a leader the day they get the title. They have built a career based on integrity, accountability, discipline and a habit of putting others first. Selfless values and traits that serve a young person equally well in a hospital, a courtroom, a laboratory or a town council meeting. Providing a young person these habits early, along with the confidence to see their own potential, is the best investment I know.
This is what drew us to Georgia Military College
As we celebrate Veterans Day, Georgians will honor the more than 600,000 veterans who live here, and it’s worth remembering that service doesn’t end with the veteran.
Every child deserves the opportunity to grow academically with the support and guidance of a strong educational institution. For children of veterans, especially those who have lost a parent in service to our country or came home with wounds that will never fully heal, helping provide those opportunities is one way we can give back to the families who have sacrificed so much for us.
This belief is something my friend and colleague Rob Posner, co-chairman of the NewDay USA Foundation, and I have shared for years, and it is what drew us to Georgia Military College (GMC).
We were looking for a school that treated character as seriously as curriculum, and we found one in Milledgeville.
This year, we are celebrating a decade of scholarships, leadership programs and the shared commitment to developing the next generation of leaders.
I’m proud to see where these young leaders are headed. Our scholars have gone on to pursue careers in military service, healthcare, law and the sciences, but what matters most is how they use what they have learned to make a difference in the lives of others.
That is what investing in the next generation is all about. We are not just giving young people the tools to succeed today, but preparing them to become leaders and mentors who will pass those lessons on, inspire others and help shape the generations that follow.
We have a responsibility to guide future leaders
There is an old saying that we measure a life by what we give. We can and must give children the tools they need to succeed.
For Gold Star families and children of veterans, supporting their children’s academic journey is one meaningful way to express gratitude for all they have sacrificed.
From scholarships to mentorships, there are many ways businesses, foundations and individuals across Georgia can make a difference.
The next generation of leaders is already among us. Our responsibility is to make sure they have the opportunity, guidance and support to reach their full potential.
U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Thomas C. Lynch (ret.) is executive chairman of NewDay USA and co-chairman of the NewDay USA Foundation, following a 32-year Navy career that included command of the Eisenhower Battle Group and service as superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy.
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The opinions expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.