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Each Sept. 17, the nation celebrates Constitution Day, the anniversary of the 1787 signing that established the framework for American self-governance. At �ƹ���Ƶ, that framework isn't an abstraction — it is lived daily in the University's founding purpose: preparing citizen-soldiers and citizen-leaders who understand that rights carry responsibilities, and that a republic depends on informed, engaged participants to sustain it.

This year, the �ƹ���Ƶ Constitution Literacy Initiative, led by Dr. Jason Jagemann, invited the �ƹ���Ƶ community to put their thoughts into words. The project, entitled "Constitution Voices," invited them to share their introspections as they answered the question, what does the Constitution mean to you, and why does it matter today? Students were also asked to reflect on how their time at �ƹ���Ƶ has shaped their sense of citizenship.

Hector Aponte ’26

The introductory words of the preamble to the United States Constitution state: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union.” In my opinion, these words hold significant importance for two reasons. Firstly, they demonstrate the Founding Fathers’ recognition that further efforts were necessary to enhance the Union, while simultaneously conveying the ambitious vision of the American experiment they pursued. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, the aspiration to establish a more perfect Union remains relevant nearly 250 years later. Rather than just serving as a document, the Constitution serves as a living root that has evolved and endured numerous generations of growth, conflict, and transformation. While it is widely acknowledged that our nation is not yet perfect two centuries after the Constitution’s establishment, we can still aspire to the same ambitious vision articulated by our forefathers for contributing to the betterment of our country.

�ƹ���Ƶ not only brings the Constitution to life within the classroom through lectures, presentations, and experiential learning, but also through its mission of providing “our youth an education that shall be American in its character.”  This education is practically embodied in service to others, striving for excellence, and the motto “I Will Try,” which acknowledges that, despite potential challenges, the �ƹ���Ƶ student will persevere. An effective citizenry requires citizens not only to participate in the general elements but to go beyond and fully embrace the country’s essence, positive and negative, in order to identify the areas that can be improved.

Ultimately, my time at �ƹ���Ƶ demonstrated how the university endeavors to transform the vision behind the Constitution of establishing a more perfect union into an education that prepares our country’s future leaders, regardless of their field and at every corner of the country, to make a concerted effort to serve our communities in a manner that propels our nation forward, ultimately benefiting our nation and the world.

Meghan Kennedy ’12, MPA’14

When I arrived at �ƹ���Ƶ, I understood the Constitution largely as something I had studied: a foundational document that established our system of government and protected individual rights. �ƹ���Ƶ helped me understand it as something more. It represents a responsibility.

At �ƹ���Ƶ, the idea of service was never abstract. We were surrounded by people preparing to serve their communities and their country in different ways, and we were taught that leadership carries obligations beyond personal success. That environment shaped how I came to understand citizenship. Citizenship is not simply enjoying the rights guaranteed to us. It also means accepting responsibility for preserving the institutions and principles that make those rights possible.

That perspective has stayed with me throughout my career in federal public service. When I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution, those words carried particular meaning because of my time at �ƹ���Ƶ. What I had studied in classrooms became something I had a professional and personal responsibility to uphold.

Over the course of my career, I have also learned that public service is often most meaningful when the answers are not easy. Those entrusted with serving the public have a responsibility to exercise sound judgment, uphold the law, ask thoughtful questions, and remember the people and institutions they serve. The Constitution provides an enduring foundation for that responsibility.

The Constitution also matters because Americans have never agreed on everything, nor were we expected to. Our constitutional system provides a framework through which disagreement, change, and competing ideas can coexist within a shared system of government. It protects fundamental rights while establishing institutions designed to endure beyond any single moment in our nation's history.

�ƹ���Ƶ taught me that leadership and citizenship are both active responsibilities. Years later, I still carry that lesson with me. The Constitution means something different to me now than it did when I first arrived on the Hill, not because its words have changed, but because my understanding of what it means to serve under them has.

Perhaps that is the most important lesson �ƹ���Ƶ gave me: an oath to the Constitution is not something you simply say. It is a commitment reflected in how you choose to serve.

Georgie Goich ’29

The U.S. is nothing without the Constitution. This country would have broken down into a mess of state vs state rivalries, causing the U.S. to collapse within its first 10 years of life. Born out of a need for both a central authority for the nation, and a distaste for unitary power, the founders compromised to create the idea of Federalism, the in-between of confederacy and unitary power, that has allowed our nation to thrive to this very day. All of that is great, but how does that affect me? What did I learn about the Constitution by being at �ƹ���Ƶ? The Constitution, to me, is the first of its kind, with protections that remain important today, and the teachings of professors here at �ƹ���Ƶ have made me appreciate how central it is to our history.

The Constitution means a lot to me because it was the first of its kind. Before the U.S., the only country to ever implement a constitution was San Marino, a city-state in Italy. The United States was the first large country to utilize a constitution as its primary governing document. Not only that, but it was the first central governing document, through the Bill of Rights, that explicitly guaranteed the specific rights of its citizens. The idea that the government, at its most fundamental level, was beholden to its citizens was revolutionary. The Constitution means so much to me because of the ideas it established: the guarantee of citizens' rights and the establishment of popular sovereignty as the main method for choosing the country's leaders.

The Constitution remains important today because its protections have not only preserved, but expanded the rights of US citizens. Thanks to Supreme Court decisions and subsequent amendments to the Constitution, its protections still help Americans today. Journalists used to be sued by major figures in business and politics for daring to expose what they were doing. Still, thanks to the first amendment in New York Times v. Sullivan, journalists have the freedom not to be silenced through legal proceedings for reporting the truth to the world. If you are being charged with a crime and cannot afford a

lawyer, you won’t be able to defend yourself properly. However, thanks to the sixth Amendment and Gideon v Wainwright, you are guaranteed a public defender. The Constitution has remained important to this day thanks to the new interpretations and amendments that were passed since its initial ratification.

My time at �ƹ���Ƶ has changed how I perceive the constitution, thanks to the work of the professors here. I used to look at the Constitution as a paper filled with problems. The electoral college, executive authority, and congressional term limits all clouded my perception of the document. It was only when I took a class on American politics that I saw the Constitution for what it really was. It is not a perfect piece of legislation that magically solves all governmental problems, but it is so much better than that. It is the single strongest piece of protection of civil rights and liberties and has done so continuously for over 240 years. The professors at �ƹ���Ƶ changed how I saw the Constitution by letting me see it for both its benefits and drawbacks.

In closing, this country and the world as a whole would be so much worse if the Constitution hadn’t been created. The world would be a far more authoritarian, dictatorship-riddled horror story were it not for a few businessmen, generals, and lawyers meeting in Philadelphia in 1787.

CW5 Alicia M. Fuller ’95, ARNG, Ph.D.

I teach Constitutional Law and Military Authority in both the Human Resource Management Qualification Course and the Warrant Officer Basic Course at the Adjutant General School.

My students range in rank from Sergeant (E5) to Colonel. I begin class by asking how many have ever read the Constitution. When few raise their hands, I remind them, “You have all sworn an oath to protect and defend the Constitution.” I then highlight the differences between the enlisted and officer oaths, the legal requirement to swear the oath, and the fact that National Guard Soldiers must also swear an oath to their state constitutions.

Typically, almost no student has actually read the Constitution. The remainder of the course focuses on the Articles, the Amendments, and the unique constitutional rights and limitations that apply specifically to Soldiers, which often differ from those of civilian citizens.

I also provide historical context for how certain rights were established through amendments. Additionally, I explain the distinction between Supreme Court decisions that lead to federal legislation — such as those affecting civil rights — and those that set precedent without subsequent legislative action. I detail, while protecting and upholding the Constitution, servicemembers rights are limited in certain aspect due to their service and why that is the case. I provide context for how each branch of the service operates and how the National Guard has a specific dual status depending on how it is called into service for periods of active duty. For example, I discuss the authority and rules of engagement under domestic emergencies activated by the governor versus the limited rules of engagement under Posse Comitatus during a domestic presidential call-up. Even the power to promote officers under Article I in the National Guard is left to the states (Title 32), but those same officers must still go through a federal recognition process to maintain their promoted rank on active-duty installations (Title 10).

Feedback is varied. Many students appreciate learning how the Constitution shapes the lives of all service members — National Guard, Reservist, or Active Component across any branch. Some, however, feel the material is overwhelming or not directly relevant. Regardless, I emphasize that Officers have a duty to protect the Constitution and pass on this knowledge to their Soldiers. In doing so, every Soldier is empowered to act thoughtfully and honorably, upholding the oath they swore at the start of their careers.

The time I spent at �ƹ���Ƶ provided me with the drive to truly understand the importance of the Constitution and that understanding was further developed through my service in the Army National Guard both on under Title 32 and Title 10 statuses.  I love teaching the class, I love when Soldiers transitioning to the AG branch or new Warrant Officers come up afterwards and say I never really knew all of that, thank you.

LTC Jeffrey Sacks ’13, MBA ’12, USA (Ret.)

President John F. Kennedy once stated, “A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on” (JFK Presidential Library, p. 1, 2019). As we mark 250 years since America’s founding, the principles of popular sovereignty, separation of powers, checks and balances, and individual rights remain central to our civic life. Additionally, Alexis de Tocqueville’s warnings about threats to liberty written in “Democracy in America” also offer a valuable lens for reflecting on today’s polarized political environment as it offered insights into how democratic institutions shape culture, social behavior, and political life. The U.S. Constitution is the fundamental road map to a functioning society and its significance on world history will continue to be a beacon of hope for several aspiring nations throughout the global landscape.

Preserving the Constitutional Framework

Our constitutional framework is not perfect, and current evidence suggests that strains are appearing across many of our institutions. According to a 2025 PEW Research Center Poll, 62% were dissatisfied with the way democracy is working (Wike, 2026). As President Obama stated in his Democratic National Convention speech, “We’re not done perfecting our union, or living up to our founding creed — that all of us are created equal and free in the eyes of God.” The Founders gave us the tools to sustain the Republic, but each generation must preserve and advance the ideas of equality, liberty, and self-government onto the next generation and beyond. The Constitutional ideas, although fractured, are still very meaningful today as they were at our founding and are very much worth defending and preserving.

The �ƹ���Ƶ Legacy

There is no better place that instills the ideas of the importance of preserving the U.S. Constitution and its impact on the society than �ƹ���Ƶ. As the mission reads:

“To give our youth an education that shall be American in its character - to enable them to act as well as to think - to execute as well as conceive - to “tolerate all opinions when reason is left free to combat them” - to make moral, patriotic, efficient, and useful citizens, and to qualify them for all those high responsibilities resting upon a citizen of this free republic.”

The ideas of servant leadership, lifelong learning, and being a “Citizen-Soldier” has been the fundamental values that have shaped my understanding of the U.S. Constitution and more importantly, my role in helping to preserve and protect its ideals. As a Cadet at �ƹ���Ƶ and throughout my Army career, those principles and traits have been the bedrock to ensure the next generation is prepared to continue the awesome responsibility of protecting and defending liberty.

The United States remains distinctive for its blessings, traditions, diversity of thought, and customs. One tradition that especially reflects our national character is the Oath of Office taken by members of the military and elected officials. I still remember first taking that oath upon graduating from �ƹ���Ƶ in 2003. It is a solemn commitment, one for which many have made the ultimate sacrifice. We do not swear allegiance to a person, president, monarch, or government. What makes America unique is that we pledge ourselves to an idea or, more precisely, to a set of governing principles. This simple but powerful concept has inspired democracies around the world, including the United States for more than 250 years. The Constitution provides the essential foundation for equality and individual rights. Those governing principles define our nation and distinguish us throughout the world and will do so for many more years to come.

This is the second article in a two-part series. You can read the first here on the �ƹ���Ƶ Reveille.