Ruthie Braunstein/The Hoya Gen. James Jones (SFS ’66) said last night that the Marines play an integral part in society. The level of the United States’ investment in national security has great bearing on our economy, said commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James Jones (SFS ’66) Thursday evening.
Addressing a small but enthusiastic crowd in Gaston Hall, the alumnus and former member of the men’s basketball team admitted that during his first years at Georgetown, the NBA looked a lot more alluring than the Marine Corps. When he entered the arine draft a few years later, his life took a new direction, ultimately leading to his appointment as the 32nd commandant of the U.S. Marines. “Things work out sometimes differently than you think,” he said.
Promoted to general and commandant in 1999, Jones said citizens are reluctant to support an increased investment in national security because of a sense of safety and comfort resulting from the collapse of the Soviet Union. But failure to invest appropriately in our nation’s security, he said, will ultimately hurt the economy. Our dependence on foreign resources is evident in the fact that over half of the petroleum the United States consumes is imported.
As a superpower and global leader, America is responsible for creating new technology, deterring aggression and influencing international relations, Jones said.
“[We must] train to bypass the enemy strengths and expose their vulnerabilities.” The Marine Corps, he said, must also be able to protect against and respond to weapons of mass destruction.
The Marine Corps is about society, not bureaucracy, Jones said.
“We make great citizens . who will return to society as better, hardworking, responsible citizens.”
When asked about whether China should be perceived as an enemy or threat of some kind, Jones advised individuals to be cautious when labeling potential adversaries. The European Union, with its strong economic block and amalgamation of various cultures is “a challenge to us in some areas even though they are our allies and friends,” he said.
Jones emphasized that in order to stay ahead of the competition, the United States must allot more funds to advancing new technologies.
“We are in danger of spending so much of our budget on old infrastructure and equipment that we can’t modernize,” he said.
Jones spent much of the lecture highlighting the progress the arine Corps has made in recent years. Sixty-eight percent of all marines on active duty are 23 years old or younger, and out of 39,000 recruits per year, the Marines returns 36,000 responsible citizens to society.
“The educational level in the Marine Corps is higher now than it ever has been in history,” Jones said.
Ethan Cross (SFS ’03), who hopes to join the Marine Corps after graduation, said he was very impressed by the lecture. “It’s an amazing experience to see how a Georgetown graduate changed the world. It’s something to aspire to.”
Alumna Kathy Baczko (FLL ’68) agreed. “It was a terrific presentation. We are lucky to have him back on campus. [He is] a shining example for everybody.”
Jones’ speech was sponsored by The Center for Peace and Security Studies and the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy of the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service and the Government Department at Georgetown University.
