Sep 10, 2025
The Case for Universal National Service: Restitching America's Social Fabric
Jake Sullivan
Sep 10, 2025
The Case for Universal National Service: Restitching America's Social Fabric
Jake Sullivan
Sep 10, 2025
The Case for Universal National Service: Restitching America's Social Fabric
Jake Sullivan
Sep 10, 2025
The Case for Universal National Service: Restitching America's Social Fabric
Jake Sullivan
Sep 10, 2025
The Case for Universal National Service: Restitching America's Social Fabric
Jake Sullivan
Sep 10, 2025
The Case for Universal National Service: Restitching America's Social Fabric
Jake Sullivan
A vibrant democracy rests on a foundation of social cohesion – a shared sense of trust, belonging, and national purpose. To restore that foundation in the United States, we should create a program of universal national service for all young Americans. One in which all high school graduates have an opportunity to participate – and all are strongly encouraged to do so.
I can’t claim ownership of this idea. For years, national service has been championed by advocates like General Stanley McChrystal, who has seen how military service is an engine for social cohesion and national strength and believes that America would benefit from a civilian equivalent. I totally agree. And moreover, I’m convinced that this idea’s time has come.
National service could take many forms. For some young people, it could mean tutoring in elementary schools with declining test scores. For others, it could mean rebuilding trails in national parks or helping coordinate disaster relief. Those who speak different languages could provide translation services at local clinics or hospitals. Those with an interest in social work could work at child care or elder care centers.
As a practical matter, this kind of proposal doesn’t require inventing an entirely new approach or building a massive new bureaucracy from scratch. We could start simply by scaling up existing, successful programs like AmeriCorps and YouthBuild. Plus, legislation that supports national service programs already exists. We would just need to amend it to authorize more opportunities.
In other words, with modest funding increases and modest adjustments to existing programs, we could yield dramatic dividends for our democracy.
Social scientists have documented with alarm how the United States has lost a sense of “we” across politics, economics, society, and culture. As Robert Putnam writes, our nation faces “deep and accelerating inequality, unprecedented political polarization, vitriolic public discourse, and a fraying social fabric.” In other words, an “I” moment now prevails. National service acts as a kind of immunotherapy to a “you win, I lose” zero-sum logic. It shows young people that other people’s success strengthens – rather than threatens – their own. This greater emphasis on the common good and common purpose, as opposed to an emphasis on me and mine, can be one piece of a larger puzzle that begins to heal our country.
Plus, at a time when social media algorithms create echo chambers that can lock us into conversations with people who already think and look like us, national service would give young people the chance to join communities that they might otherwise only know by caricature. By rolling up their sleeves and joining in community work, they would break out of their social or ideological bubbles and interact meaningfully with people from different political, geographic, socio-economic, and ethnic backgrounds. This could vastly broaden their social networks – indeed, it could redefine their very conception of what a social network is – with benefits compounding over time.
Additionally, research shows that volunteers in national service programs have better mental health and a greater sense of self-confidence. They also tend to have a larger professional network. And volunteering drives skills-building – something young Americans understand the importance of in an ever-competitive job market. Nearly half of AmeriCorps members identify “gaining new skills” as their primary or secondary reason for joining. Recent studies also highlight that AmeriCorps alumni in certain parts of the country “consistently out-earn their counterparts, beginning at age 23.”
For anyone who thinks that young people’s interest in serving is waning, the data says otherwise. AmeriCorps turns away tens of thousands of applicants every year. A 2021 survey of 18-to-24-year-olds nationwide found that 81% of them support expanding AmeriCorps, and a striking 71% would consider serving themselves. Other countries have successfully implemented similar programs; in Germany, national service programs supplied labor to sectors that were under-resourced, such as elder care or social services. Establishing the universal expectation of service could backfill critical sectors of the economy.
Is national service a panacea for all the pressures on American democracy? No. But establishing a universal expectation and opportunity for service offers something rare in today’s political climate: a solution that works, that young people want, and that has a clear implementation path.
Plus, it gets at something intangible that is absolutely critical to America’s future success. It would help young people feel a true ownership stake in our nation. They would see up close the problems we face – and just as importantly, they would see the solutions that exist, if we are willing to raise our hands and do our part.
That kind of can-do, optimistic, we’re-all-in-this-together spirit is what helped past generations build the United States into the greatest nation in the world. We need to reinvigorate that sense of solidarity for our time. And we need our young people to seize the reins and lead the way.
A vibrant democracy rests on a foundation of social cohesion – a shared sense of trust, belonging, and national purpose. To restore that foundation in the United States, we should create a program of universal national service for all young Americans. One in which all high school graduates have an opportunity to participate – and all are strongly encouraged to do so.
I can’t claim ownership of this idea. For years, national service has been championed by advocates like General Stanley McChrystal, who has seen how military service is an engine for social cohesion and national strength and believes that America would benefit from a civilian equivalent. I totally agree. And moreover, I’m convinced that this idea’s time has come.
National service could take many forms. For some young people, it could mean tutoring in elementary schools with declining test scores. For others, it could mean rebuilding trails in national parks or helping coordinate disaster relief. Those who speak different languages could provide translation services at local clinics or hospitals. Those with an interest in social work could work at child care or elder care centers.
As a practical matter, this kind of proposal doesn’t require inventing an entirely new approach or building a massive new bureaucracy from scratch. We could start simply by scaling up existing, successful programs like AmeriCorps and YouthBuild. Plus, legislation that supports national service programs already exists. We would just need to amend it to authorize more opportunities.
In other words, with modest funding increases and modest adjustments to existing programs, we could yield dramatic dividends for our democracy.
Social scientists have documented with alarm how the United States has lost a sense of “we” across politics, economics, society, and culture. As Robert Putnam writes, our nation faces “deep and accelerating inequality, unprecedented political polarization, vitriolic public discourse, and a fraying social fabric.” In other words, an “I” moment now prevails. National service acts as a kind of immunotherapy to a “you win, I lose” zero-sum logic. It shows young people that other people’s success strengthens – rather than threatens – their own. This greater emphasis on the common good and common purpose, as opposed to an emphasis on me and mine, can be one piece of a larger puzzle that begins to heal our country.
Plus, at a time when social media algorithms create echo chambers that can lock us into conversations with people who already think and look like us, national service would give young people the chance to join communities that they might otherwise only know by caricature. By rolling up their sleeves and joining in community work, they would break out of their social or ideological bubbles and interact meaningfully with people from different political, geographic, socio-economic, and ethnic backgrounds. This could vastly broaden their social networks – indeed, it could redefine their very conception of what a social network is – with benefits compounding over time.
Additionally, research shows that volunteers in national service programs have better mental health and a greater sense of self-confidence. They also tend to have a larger professional network. And volunteering drives skills-building – something young Americans understand the importance of in an ever-competitive job market. Nearly half of AmeriCorps members identify “gaining new skills” as their primary or secondary reason for joining. Recent studies also highlight that AmeriCorps alumni in certain parts of the country “consistently out-earn their counterparts, beginning at age 23.”
For anyone who thinks that young people’s interest in serving is waning, the data says otherwise. AmeriCorps turns away tens of thousands of applicants every year. A 2021 survey of 18-to-24-year-olds nationwide found that 81% of them support expanding AmeriCorps, and a striking 71% would consider serving themselves. Other countries have successfully implemented similar programs; in Germany, national service programs supplied labor to sectors that were under-resourced, such as elder care or social services. Establishing the universal expectation of service could backfill critical sectors of the economy.
Is national service a panacea for all the pressures on American democracy? No. But establishing a universal expectation and opportunity for service offers something rare in today’s political climate: a solution that works, that young people want, and that has a clear implementation path.
Plus, it gets at something intangible that is absolutely critical to America’s future success. It would help young people feel a true ownership stake in our nation. They would see up close the problems we face – and just as importantly, they would see the solutions that exist, if we are willing to raise our hands and do our part.
That kind of can-do, optimistic, we’re-all-in-this-together spirit is what helped past generations build the United States into the greatest nation in the world. We need to reinvigorate that sense of solidarity for our time. And we need our young people to seize the reins and lead the way.
A vibrant democracy rests on a foundation of social cohesion – a shared sense of trust, belonging, and national purpose. To restore that foundation in the United States, we should create a program of universal national service for all young Americans. One in which all high school graduates have an opportunity to participate – and all are strongly encouraged to do so.
I can’t claim ownership of this idea. For years, national service has been championed by advocates like General Stanley McChrystal, who has seen how military service is an engine for social cohesion and national strength and believes that America would benefit from a civilian equivalent. I totally agree. And moreover, I’m convinced that this idea’s time has come.
National service could take many forms. For some young people, it could mean tutoring in elementary schools with declining test scores. For others, it could mean rebuilding trails in national parks or helping coordinate disaster relief. Those who speak different languages could provide translation services at local clinics or hospitals. Those with an interest in social work could work at child care or elder care centers.
As a practical matter, this kind of proposal doesn’t require inventing an entirely new approach or building a massive new bureaucracy from scratch. We could start simply by scaling up existing, successful programs like AmeriCorps and YouthBuild. Plus, legislation that supports national service programs already exists. We would just need to amend it to authorize more opportunities.
In other words, with modest funding increases and modest adjustments to existing programs, we could yield dramatic dividends for our democracy.
Social scientists have documented with alarm how the United States has lost a sense of “we” across politics, economics, society, and culture. As Robert Putnam writes, our nation faces “deep and accelerating inequality, unprecedented political polarization, vitriolic public discourse, and a fraying social fabric.” In other words, an “I” moment now prevails. National service acts as a kind of immunotherapy to a “you win, I lose” zero-sum logic. It shows young people that other people’s success strengthens – rather than threatens – their own. This greater emphasis on the common good and common purpose, as opposed to an emphasis on me and mine, can be one piece of a larger puzzle that begins to heal our country.
Plus, at a time when social media algorithms create echo chambers that can lock us into conversations with people who already think and look like us, national service would give young people the chance to join communities that they might otherwise only know by caricature. By rolling up their sleeves and joining in community work, they would break out of their social or ideological bubbles and interact meaningfully with people from different political, geographic, socio-economic, and ethnic backgrounds. This could vastly broaden their social networks – indeed, it could redefine their very conception of what a social network is – with benefits compounding over time.
Additionally, research shows that volunteers in national service programs have better mental health and a greater sense of self-confidence. They also tend to have a larger professional network. And volunteering drives skills-building – something young Americans understand the importance of in an ever-competitive job market. Nearly half of AmeriCorps members identify “gaining new skills” as their primary or secondary reason for joining. Recent studies also highlight that AmeriCorps alumni in certain parts of the country “consistently out-earn their counterparts, beginning at age 23.”
For anyone who thinks that young people’s interest in serving is waning, the data says otherwise. AmeriCorps turns away tens of thousands of applicants every year. A 2021 survey of 18-to-24-year-olds nationwide found that 81% of them support expanding AmeriCorps, and a striking 71% would consider serving themselves. Other countries have successfully implemented similar programs; in Germany, national service programs supplied labor to sectors that were under-resourced, such as elder care or social services. Establishing the universal expectation of service could backfill critical sectors of the economy.
Is national service a panacea for all the pressures on American democracy? No. But establishing a universal expectation and opportunity for service offers something rare in today’s political climate: a solution that works, that young people want, and that has a clear implementation path.
Plus, it gets at something intangible that is absolutely critical to America’s future success. It would help young people feel a true ownership stake in our nation. They would see up close the problems we face – and just as importantly, they would see the solutions that exist, if we are willing to raise our hands and do our part.
That kind of can-do, optimistic, we’re-all-in-this-together spirit is what helped past generations build the United States into the greatest nation in the world. We need to reinvigorate that sense of solidarity for our time. And we need our young people to seize the reins and lead the way.
A vibrant democracy rests on a foundation of social cohesion – a shared sense of trust, belonging, and national purpose. To restore that foundation in the United States, we should create a program of universal national service for all young Americans. One in which all high school graduates have an opportunity to participate – and all are strongly encouraged to do so.
I can’t claim ownership of this idea. For years, national service has been championed by advocates like General Stanley McChrystal, who has seen how military service is an engine for social cohesion and national strength and believes that America would benefit from a civilian equivalent. I totally agree. And moreover, I’m convinced that this idea’s time has come.
National service could take many forms. For some young people, it could mean tutoring in elementary schools with declining test scores. For others, it could mean rebuilding trails in national parks or helping coordinate disaster relief. Those who speak different languages could provide translation services at local clinics or hospitals. Those with an interest in social work could work at child care or elder care centers.
As a practical matter, this kind of proposal doesn’t require inventing an entirely new approach or building a massive new bureaucracy from scratch. We could start simply by scaling up existing, successful programs like AmeriCorps and YouthBuild. Plus, legislation that supports national service programs already exists. We would just need to amend it to authorize more opportunities.
In other words, with modest funding increases and modest adjustments to existing programs, we could yield dramatic dividends for our democracy.
Social scientists have documented with alarm how the United States has lost a sense of “we” across politics, economics, society, and culture. As Robert Putnam writes, our nation faces “deep and accelerating inequality, unprecedented political polarization, vitriolic public discourse, and a fraying social fabric.” In other words, an “I” moment now prevails. National service acts as a kind of immunotherapy to a “you win, I lose” zero-sum logic. It shows young people that other people’s success strengthens – rather than threatens – their own. This greater emphasis on the common good and common purpose, as opposed to an emphasis on me and mine, can be one piece of a larger puzzle that begins to heal our country.
Plus, at a time when social media algorithms create echo chambers that can lock us into conversations with people who already think and look like us, national service would give young people the chance to join communities that they might otherwise only know by caricature. By rolling up their sleeves and joining in community work, they would break out of their social or ideological bubbles and interact meaningfully with people from different political, geographic, socio-economic, and ethnic backgrounds. This could vastly broaden their social networks – indeed, it could redefine their very conception of what a social network is – with benefits compounding over time.
Additionally, research shows that volunteers in national service programs have better mental health and a greater sense of self-confidence. They also tend to have a larger professional network. And volunteering drives skills-building – something young Americans understand the importance of in an ever-competitive job market. Nearly half of AmeriCorps members identify “gaining new skills” as their primary or secondary reason for joining. Recent studies also highlight that AmeriCorps alumni in certain parts of the country “consistently out-earn their counterparts, beginning at age 23.”
For anyone who thinks that young people’s interest in serving is waning, the data says otherwise. AmeriCorps turns away tens of thousands of applicants every year. A 2021 survey of 18-to-24-year-olds nationwide found that 81% of them support expanding AmeriCorps, and a striking 71% would consider serving themselves. Other countries have successfully implemented similar programs; in Germany, national service programs supplied labor to sectors that were under-resourced, such as elder care or social services. Establishing the universal expectation of service could backfill critical sectors of the economy.
Is national service a panacea for all the pressures on American democracy? No. But establishing a universal expectation and opportunity for service offers something rare in today’s political climate: a solution that works, that young people want, and that has a clear implementation path.
Plus, it gets at something intangible that is absolutely critical to America’s future success. It would help young people feel a true ownership stake in our nation. They would see up close the problems we face – and just as importantly, they would see the solutions that exist, if we are willing to raise our hands and do our part.
That kind of can-do, optimistic, we’re-all-in-this-together spirit is what helped past generations build the United States into the greatest nation in the world. We need to reinvigorate that sense of solidarity for our time. And we need our young people to seize the reins and lead the way.
A vibrant democracy rests on a foundation of social cohesion – a shared sense of trust, belonging, and national purpose. To restore that foundation in the United States, we should create a program of universal national service for all young Americans. One in which all high school graduates have an opportunity to participate – and all are strongly encouraged to do so.
I can’t claim ownership of this idea. For years, national service has been championed by advocates like General Stanley McChrystal, who has seen how military service is an engine for social cohesion and national strength and believes that America would benefit from a civilian equivalent. I totally agree. And moreover, I’m convinced that this idea’s time has come.
National service could take many forms. For some young people, it could mean tutoring in elementary schools with declining test scores. For others, it could mean rebuilding trails in national parks or helping coordinate disaster relief. Those who speak different languages could provide translation services at local clinics or hospitals. Those with an interest in social work could work at child care or elder care centers.
As a practical matter, this kind of proposal doesn’t require inventing an entirely new approach or building a massive new bureaucracy from scratch. We could start simply by scaling up existing, successful programs like AmeriCorps and YouthBuild. Plus, legislation that supports national service programs already exists. We would just need to amend it to authorize more opportunities.
In other words, with modest funding increases and modest adjustments to existing programs, we could yield dramatic dividends for our democracy.
Social scientists have documented with alarm how the United States has lost a sense of “we” across politics, economics, society, and culture. As Robert Putnam writes, our nation faces “deep and accelerating inequality, unprecedented political polarization, vitriolic public discourse, and a fraying social fabric.” In other words, an “I” moment now prevails. National service acts as a kind of immunotherapy to a “you win, I lose” zero-sum logic. It shows young people that other people’s success strengthens – rather than threatens – their own. This greater emphasis on the common good and common purpose, as opposed to an emphasis on me and mine, can be one piece of a larger puzzle that begins to heal our country.
Plus, at a time when social media algorithms create echo chambers that can lock us into conversations with people who already think and look like us, national service would give young people the chance to join communities that they might otherwise only know by caricature. By rolling up their sleeves and joining in community work, they would break out of their social or ideological bubbles and interact meaningfully with people from different political, geographic, socio-economic, and ethnic backgrounds. This could vastly broaden their social networks – indeed, it could redefine their very conception of what a social network is – with benefits compounding over time.
Additionally, research shows that volunteers in national service programs have better mental health and a greater sense of self-confidence. They also tend to have a larger professional network. And volunteering drives skills-building – something young Americans understand the importance of in an ever-competitive job market. Nearly half of AmeriCorps members identify “gaining new skills” as their primary or secondary reason for joining. Recent studies also highlight that AmeriCorps alumni in certain parts of the country “consistently out-earn their counterparts, beginning at age 23.”
For anyone who thinks that young people’s interest in serving is waning, the data says otherwise. AmeriCorps turns away tens of thousands of applicants every year. A 2021 survey of 18-to-24-year-olds nationwide found that 81% of them support expanding AmeriCorps, and a striking 71% would consider serving themselves. Other countries have successfully implemented similar programs; in Germany, national service programs supplied labor to sectors that were under-resourced, such as elder care or social services. Establishing the universal expectation of service could backfill critical sectors of the economy.
Is national service a panacea for all the pressures on American democracy? No. But establishing a universal expectation and opportunity for service offers something rare in today’s political climate: a solution that works, that young people want, and that has a clear implementation path.
Plus, it gets at something intangible that is absolutely critical to America’s future success. It would help young people feel a true ownership stake in our nation. They would see up close the problems we face – and just as importantly, they would see the solutions that exist, if we are willing to raise our hands and do our part.
That kind of can-do, optimistic, we’re-all-in-this-together spirit is what helped past generations build the United States into the greatest nation in the world. We need to reinvigorate that sense of solidarity for our time. And we need our young people to seize the reins and lead the way.
A vibrant democracy rests on a foundation of social cohesion – a shared sense of trust, belonging, and national purpose. To restore that foundation in the United States, we should create a program of universal national service for all young Americans. One in which all high school graduates have an opportunity to participate – and all are strongly encouraged to do so.
I can’t claim ownership of this idea. For years, national service has been championed by advocates like General Stanley McChrystal, who has seen how military service is an engine for social cohesion and national strength and believes that America would benefit from a civilian equivalent. I totally agree. And moreover, I’m convinced that this idea’s time has come.
National service could take many forms. For some young people, it could mean tutoring in elementary schools with declining test scores. For others, it could mean rebuilding trails in national parks or helping coordinate disaster relief. Those who speak different languages could provide translation services at local clinics or hospitals. Those with an interest in social work could work at child care or elder care centers.
As a practical matter, this kind of proposal doesn’t require inventing an entirely new approach or building a massive new bureaucracy from scratch. We could start simply by scaling up existing, successful programs like AmeriCorps and YouthBuild. Plus, legislation that supports national service programs already exists. We would just need to amend it to authorize more opportunities.
In other words, with modest funding increases and modest adjustments to existing programs, we could yield dramatic dividends for our democracy.
Social scientists have documented with alarm how the United States has lost a sense of “we” across politics, economics, society, and culture. As Robert Putnam writes, our nation faces “deep and accelerating inequality, unprecedented political polarization, vitriolic public discourse, and a fraying social fabric.” In other words, an “I” moment now prevails. National service acts as a kind of immunotherapy to a “you win, I lose” zero-sum logic. It shows young people that other people’s success strengthens – rather than threatens – their own. This greater emphasis on the common good and common purpose, as opposed to an emphasis on me and mine, can be one piece of a larger puzzle that begins to heal our country.
Plus, at a time when social media algorithms create echo chambers that can lock us into conversations with people who already think and look like us, national service would give young people the chance to join communities that they might otherwise only know by caricature. By rolling up their sleeves and joining in community work, they would break out of their social or ideological bubbles and interact meaningfully with people from different political, geographic, socio-economic, and ethnic backgrounds. This could vastly broaden their social networks – indeed, it could redefine their very conception of what a social network is – with benefits compounding over time.
Additionally, research shows that volunteers in national service programs have better mental health and a greater sense of self-confidence. They also tend to have a larger professional network. And volunteering drives skills-building – something young Americans understand the importance of in an ever-competitive job market. Nearly half of AmeriCorps members identify “gaining new skills” as their primary or secondary reason for joining. Recent studies also highlight that AmeriCorps alumni in certain parts of the country “consistently out-earn their counterparts, beginning at age 23.”
For anyone who thinks that young people’s interest in serving is waning, the data says otherwise. AmeriCorps turns away tens of thousands of applicants every year. A 2021 survey of 18-to-24-year-olds nationwide found that 81% of them support expanding AmeriCorps, and a striking 71% would consider serving themselves. Other countries have successfully implemented similar programs; in Germany, national service programs supplied labor to sectors that were under-resourced, such as elder care or social services. Establishing the universal expectation of service could backfill critical sectors of the economy.
Is national service a panacea for all the pressures on American democracy? No. But establishing a universal expectation and opportunity for service offers something rare in today’s political climate: a solution that works, that young people want, and that has a clear implementation path.
Plus, it gets at something intangible that is absolutely critical to America’s future success. It would help young people feel a true ownership stake in our nation. They would see up close the problems we face – and just as importantly, they would see the solutions that exist, if we are willing to raise our hands and do our part.
That kind of can-do, optimistic, we’re-all-in-this-together spirit is what helped past generations build the United States into the greatest nation in the world. We need to reinvigorate that sense of solidarity for our time. And we need our young people to seize the reins and lead the way.
About the Author
Jake Sullivan
Sullivan is the Kissinger Professor of the Practice of Statecraft and World Order at the Harvard Kennedy School and a Senior Fellow at the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire. He was the 28th Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (National Security Advisor) from 2021 to 2025. In the Obama Administration, he served as National Security Advisor to then-Vice President Biden, Director of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State, and Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He has held teaching posts at Dartmouth College and Yale Law School.
About the Author
Jake Sullivan
Sullivan is the Kissinger Professor of the Practice of Statecraft and World Order at the Harvard Kennedy School and a Senior Fellow at the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire. He was the 28th Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (National Security Advisor) from 2021 to 2025. In the Obama Administration, he served as National Security Advisor to then-Vice President Biden, Director of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State, and Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He has held teaching posts at Dartmouth College and Yale Law School.
About the Author
Jake Sullivan
Sullivan is the Kissinger Professor of the Practice of Statecraft and World Order at the Harvard Kennedy School and a Senior Fellow at the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire. He was the 28th Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (National Security Advisor) from 2021 to 2025. In the Obama Administration, he served as National Security Advisor to then-Vice President Biden, Director of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State, and Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He has held teaching posts at Dartmouth College and Yale Law School.
About the Author
Jake Sullivan
Sullivan is the Kissinger Professor of the Practice of Statecraft and World Order at the Harvard Kennedy School and a Senior Fellow at the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire. He was the 28th Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (National Security Advisor) from 2021 to 2025. In the Obama Administration, he served as National Security Advisor to then-Vice President Biden, Director of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State, and Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He has held teaching posts at Dartmouth College and Yale Law School.
