"I'm often asked when I am sitting in various forums, and we start to turn to national defense and national security issues and somebody in the audience will invariably ask me what I think the biggest national security issue is, and my answer's the same every time: It's pre-K through 12. Which surprises them, they think I'm going to say North Korea or they think I'm going to say Iran. But the fact of the matter is, my biggest concern is: Are we educating the youth of America well enough so that in 10 years, 20 years that these young men and women will be great citizens of the United States, that they will be ready to come to college? That they will be ready to serve in industry and in technology? And I don't know that I think we have found the right answer to that yet. So the thing that keeps me up at night is making sure that the state of Texas – or hoping that the state of Texas – and the nation is investing in our pre-K through 12 in a way that will put our young men and women in a position to be successful."--William Harry McRaven, Chancellor of The University of Texas System, Retired United States Navy Admiral
Source:
https://www.texastribune.org/2018/05/29/bill-mcraven-ut-system-chancellor-texas-higher-education/
I agree that K-12 education is vital, but please, Admiral: we need you to tell us some specifics. Retirement is often a military officer's first and only chance to speak out. What exactly needs improvement, and how do can we make changes, effectively? Too often I feel like throwing my hands up in despair, but that doesn't help.
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