Meanwhile, students, alumni, and friends who are members of the Coast Guard, please accept my apologies.  Please also accept my sincere thanks for the many efforts that you engage in daily to keep our nation’s ports and waterways safe for all.

I was never a student of public policy, but because of its impact to my employer and myself, I have to be more than a bystander.  From my observations, it appears that healing and conciliation are no more than campaign promises from politicians on both sides of the aisle.  The breakdown appears to be more severe on a national level than a state and local government level, but that might be caused by the fact that state and local governments are required to balance their fiscal budgets and the federal government is the only entity allowed to print money to pay its bills.

Fixing healthcare in the United States has been a goal of multiple administrations since the 1960’s.  Unfortunately, the legislative fixes over the years were generally to add benefits (which would add votes from those receiving the benefits, primarily the elderly and the poor), decrease payments to providers (fewer voters impacted), and defer discussion of how to solve the impact of the Baby Boomer generation’s retirement on the Medicare and Medicaid programs.  Medicaid was a mandated benefit requiring the states to pick up half the cost, but in the years of a booming economy and steadily increasing real estate taxes, the states grumbled more than shouted out in pain.  This year’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (also known as the Stimulus Act) provided states with funding to cover some of their expenses in Medicaid and education.  The stimulus act was intended to be a short-term solution, allowing the states time to find ways to balance their budgets going forward.

As I write this, I don’t know what the final outcome of the healthcare bill will be.  The Senate and the House have to reconcile their bills and there are members who state that they won’t agree to a bill without a public option and members who won’t agree to a bill with a public option.  Some members like Nebraska’s Ben Nelson appear to have successfully negotiated for the sale of their vote.  I wonder if that funding provision will stand and if Senator Nelson’s vote will continue to be yes if the funding is removed.

The purpose of this article is not to discuss politics or the merits of different proposals.  I really wanted to discuss how important it is going to be for our elected and appointed government officials to engage in a rational discussion of all of the pros and cons of legislation and not just the party line.  Our national debt is at an all time high.  The war on terror continues and the costs of funding it are substantially America’s.  Our military service members and many other public servants provide an invaluable service protecting our freedoms and our safety every day, 365 days a year, and their activities are independent of which political party controls the White House.  The Stimulus Act funding is going away and many states are still working on ways to cut their projected deficits.  Real estate values have decreased by approximately 20 percent nationwide.  Passage of the healthcare bill is bound to increase costs.  Cap and trade is another pending bill that will increase costs for some companies and consumers as well as decrease tax revenues to coal-producing states.  Publicly-funded higher education is also under funding stress in many states.  At some point, the citizens of our country have to pay for the costs of all of these initiatives.  Increasing taxes is inevitable, but tax increases can negatively impact the economy as well.

Most Americans manage their household expenses through a system of prioritization.  If incoming funds are expected to be lower this year, we know we can’t buy a new car or take a vacation to Disney World.  Sometimes, we work out compromises on the budget and buy a used car instead of a new car and take a vacation to the local beach or mountains versus flying to a more exotic locale.   For-profit and non-profit businesses have to do the same. Because of laws requiring balanced budgets, most state and local legislative bodies have to engage in a process like this as well.   My New Year’s wish would be that our nationally-elected officials cool the rhetoric, discuss the issues, and prioritize their votes for the future of America.  A quick solution to generate votes for next year’s election is wrong if it mortgages the future for generations to come.

Few events generate as much excitement, pride or sense of accomplishment as a university graduation ceremony.  Our students hail from all 50 U.S. states and 135 countries worldwide.  They include active duty servicemen and servicewomen; dedicated public servants; and accomplished professionals engaged in a range of technical, analytic, and management positions.  They are also wives and husbands, mothers and fathers, daughters and sons.  Their accomplishments are outstanding!

As impressive as the graduating class of 2009’s numbers and statistics are, the stories, the accomplishments, the hopes and the dreams of individual American Military University (AMU) and American Public University (APU) graduates are equally as fascinating.  I appreciated having the opportunity to catch up with many of the graduates who attended our ceremonies.  What they said about their experience with APUS was certainly of interest to me and offers insight and inspiration to us all.  I have summarized a few of them.

Kim Beyers received a B.A. in Homeland Security from AMU last weekend, thrilled that her parents and family members could be on hand to help mark her accomplishment, and is looking forward to another AMU graduation ceremony in the not-so-distant future, when she earns her AMU Master’s degree in Homeland Security.  Ms. Beyers, an information systems specialist, is on active duty with the U.S. Army, and plans to retire in 2010 – but she has no plans to stop working.  She was posted in Turkey when the national tragedy of September 11, 2001 occurred, and she vowed shortly thereafter that she would continue her public service beyond her military career by contributing to the nation’s security – which she hopes to do in an analyst position with the Department of Homeland Security or the Defense Intelligence Agency following her retirement.  

Charles Russo currently works as an analyst with a large defense contractor and received a B.A. in Intelligence Studies with AMU last year.  Charles plans to pursue an M.A. in Intelligence Studies with AMU beginning next year.  Mr. Russo attended the APUS graduation ceremonies as one of our alumni ambassadors, there to congratulate a new class of alumni.  He says his degree program with AMU has given him perspective and insight which complements his more than 14 years of intelligence experience.

Susan Wadehul received a Master’s degree in Public Health with a concentration in Emergency & Disaster Management from APU (as well as a stellar 4.0 GPA and “Outstanding Graduate Student Award” for the School of Public Safety and Health), in what was the culmination of a self-imposed challenge – and likely the start of an exciting new phase in her life and career.  In September, 2004, the registered nurse and emergency medical technician was diagnosed with viral meningitis, and told it could take up to three years to fully recover.   Unable to lift heavy objects or to work, but otherwise healthy, Susan decided to pursue a master’s degree in “something broader” than a traditional nursing program.  She found in APU what she calls “the perfect combination:” an online master’s degree program in public health, with a concentration in emergency management.  Now fully recovered and back at work full time at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, MA, Susan hopes her newly minted degree will allow her to realize another dream:  to teach other aspiring healthcare providers in nursing, public health and/or emergency management.

Clearly, these and all of our APUS graduates are already making their mark in a range of fields crucial to our nation’s military, government, social and economic success.  I believe their education and experience with AMU and APU will not only make them more successful in their individual careers – but that they will make life a little better for all of us in their ongoing service to our country.

Congratulations to the AMU and APU graduating classes of 2009, and all the best from the administration and faculty of APUS!

The Coast Guard’s effort was extraordinary after Hurricane Katrina.  After that storm, the Coast Guard evacuated or rescued over 33,000 people, almost six times as many as in all of 2004.   According to the Coast Guard, on an average day it “saves 14 lives, assists 98 people in distress, conducts 74 search and rescue cases, interdicts 17 illegal migrants at sea, and seizes or removes over 1,000 pounds of illegal drugs.”  As a boater and someone who has sailed from Annapolis, Maryland to Bermuda, knowing that the Coast Guard is available and capable should a disaster occur is comforting.

The Coast Guard is the only branch of the Armed Services that resides outside of the Pentagon although it reports to the U.S. Navy in times of war or at the direction of the President.  There are approximately 40,000 men and women who serve on active duty with the Coast Guard.  Coasties, some of whom are our students, today we salute you and congratulate you on your 218th birthday!