DoD Kicks off “Why We Serve” Tour

In order to help the American people understand why U.S. service members choose to serve their country and what the experience entails, the Defense Department has launched “Why We Serve.” “Essentially, Why We Serve is an armed forces-style grassroots movement to reconnect with the American people,” said Marine Maj. Matt Morgan, the program’s director. “We want to close the gap by allowing service members to communicate directly with the people about why it is they do what they do.” Thirteen members from each of the services have fanned out to speak about their military experience at events ranging from Rotary Club dinners to large university forums. Defense secretary Rumsfeld has said that he sees service members re-enlisting at record rates, volunteering to go back to combat zones two or three times, said Morgan. “We need to tell this story.”