For Immediate Release, November 9, 2012
Contact: Allison Sturma, 202-429-4725

(Washington) - Jim Marshall became the fourth president of the United States Institute of Peace on September 14. A former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and mayor of Macon, Georgia, Marshall also served in the Vietnam War as a sergeant with a U.S. Army Airborne Ranger reconnaissance platoon. He received numerous military awards and recognitions, including the Purple Heart and induction into the Army Ranger Hall of Fame. The son and grandson of Army generals, Marshall later served on the House Armed Services Committee and as chairman of the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Below, Jim Marshall comments on Veterans Day 2012 and the work of USIP.

No one understands the costs of war and conflict as soldiers do. Well over a million Americans have died in the conflicts spanning our nation’s history, with millions more wounded. When conflicts can be negotiated or otherwise managed without a resort to force, soldiers are among the first to recognize the value of such successes—and to applaud them. The service of Americans in uniform, as well as the sacrifices made by their families and communities, can never be forgotten and have the abiding respect of Americans everywhere.

As someone who knows conflict not only as an intellectual concept but as a terrifying and sad reality, it is a special privilege for me to lead the nation’s peace institute. Many of the wars in our nation’s past have had a Marshall in them. Having experienced and seen the results of war myself, I am convinced of the importance of our country seeking non-violent ways to prevent and manage conflicts, as well as helping others recover from conflict where it occurs. Our Institute is committed to developing the best possible tools and strategies for preventing or mitigating violence in different settings around the world. Genuine understanding is usually a more durable assurance of peace than the use of force, and our work in that regard is ultimately about saving lives and strengthening our national security. We’re reminded of those aims every day, with our new headquarters standing close to the memorials on the National Mall through which we recall the toll of war. On this Veterans Day, we gratefully remember the service of all our veterans—and reaffirm our own responsibility to help advance peaceful approaches wherever we can.

###

The United States Institute of Peace is an independent, nonpartisan conflict management center created by Congress to prevent and mitigate international conflict through nonviolent means. USIP saves lives, increases the government’s ability to deal with conflicts before they escalate, reduces government costs, and enhances national security. USIP is headquartered in Washington, DC. To learn more, visit www.usip.org.