Washington, D.C., served as the backdrop for the fourth Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program module earlier this month. Members of the class – who are all working on improving outcomes for veterans, service members, and their families – met with program faculty and special guests to learn about the leadership principles of influence, persuasion, and strategic partnerships.
The week began at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, where Scholars were greeted by Eric Eversole, President of Hiring our Heroes, and settled in for a conversation with Alex Gorsky, former Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson and the April and Jay Graham Fellow at the Bush Institute. Gorsky discussed his journey from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to his time leading J&J and the twists and turns in between. He also spoke extensively on the important role values-based leadership has played in his career.
“Maintaining your focus on values-based leadership is critical,” he said. “If you don’t have your values as your North Star, it’s so easy to get distracted by the news of the day or the problem of the day.”
Alex Gorsky, former Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson and the April and Jay Graham Fellow at the Bush Institute, speaks with the Veteran Leadership Program Scholars. Grant Miller Photography
Earlier that day, the chamber hosted a naturalization ceremony for a group of new Americans, which got the class thinking about the responsibilities of citizenship and the importance of service to our nation – topics that this group of Scholars is acutely focused on and that would serve as themes throughout the week.
Scholars traveled to Boeing the next day for a full schedule of sessions. Retired U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, the 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke with the group about his leadership philosophy and how he built influence and fruitful partnerships with those around him as his career progressed. He shared that “the principles of leadership are universal, but the application is different for everyone.”
The class also spent time with Terri Tanielian, the current Special Assistant to the President for Veterans Affairs, who discussed her role in the White House as well as her deep experience in veteran and mental health policy.
“Data is critically important” in policymaking, she said. “But stories are also powerful, so we really take time to listen to people and hear their stories and experiences because that doesn’t always come through in the data.”
Veteran Leadership Program faculty members Nicole Bibbins Sedaca and Michael O’Leary joined the Scholars throughout the week for classroom sessions on the themes of influence, persuasion, and strategic partnerships. Scholars participated in an exercise in which they mapped their stakeholders using a metric based on their power, influence, and interest in moving an initiative forward.
On Thursday, Scholars had the special opportunity to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. The Class of 2024 chose four of their peers to lay the wreath, and it was an incredibly solemn moment as the bugler played “Taps.”
Four Veteran Leadership Program Scholars participate in a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. Grant Miller Photography.
Sharene Brown, spouse of the 21st Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined the Scholars at Georgetown University to talk about military spouses’ service and her work supporting military families through Five & Thrive, which “brings military leaders, community partners, and military families together” to solve the issues facing this community.
Scholars wrapped up the week at JPMorgan Chase, where they heard from members of the company’s military and veterans affairs team. Some Veteran Leadership Program alumni also stopped by for a conversation on cross-sector leadership around military and veterans affairs from nonprofit, government, and corporate lenses.
Throughout the week, Scholars continued to grow closer in their relationships through networking time, bus rides, and deep dinner conversations. The group of leaders will complete the five-month program in October at the George W. Bush Presidential Center. They’ll present their personal leadership projects, which have allowed them to implement what they’ve learned in the program to improve the lives of veterans, military service members, and their families across the United States.
Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program Scholars at Arlington National Cemetery. Grant Miller Photography.
View more photos from Module Four of the Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program here.
