Some students in diplomacy or military affairs classes are getting instruction from the people who know it best. Many retired military officers are heading back to the classroom as teachers at some of the most prestigious universities in the United States, The New York Times reports.
Among those who have taken to the second career is Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, who teaches a two-hour seminar on leadership at Yale. The class has become especially popular, with 200 students vying for just 20 spots. Similarly, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen is slated to teach at Princeton in the fall.
By employing former officers as professors, many Ivy League schools are breaking with tradition. In fact, until recently, ROTC programs were not offered on the campuses of Harvard, Yale and Columbia. The change certainly gives students a unique and valuable experience.
"I would never have imagined myself three years ago in a course taught by a general," Erik Heinonen, one of McChrystal's students, told the Times.
Heading back to college as a student has been a popular option for servicemembers as well. The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides vets with full tuition to in-state public schools.