A Conversation With a Reluctant American Hero
Wendy A. Lang Director, Operation College Promise
There are times in life when you pause and consider,
with almost utter intrigue, as to how exactly you find yourself in the present
moment and circumstances.
Colonel Jack Jacobs (ret.) did not have that luxury on
March 9, 1968 when he found himself nearly impossibly pinned down by an
entrenched Viet Cong in the hours before he took the actions that earned him
the nation’s highest military acknowledgment, the Medal of Honor (MOH). He
wasn’t meant to be there at all; his combat duty was finished, or so said his
superiors. Subterfuge: that’s how he ended up in this situation…by his own
choice.
As I sat across from one of our nation’s most highly
decorated combat veterans, my mind continued to wonder as to how I found myself
there in the first place.
I was there, of course, to interview Jacobs for his
new role as the spokesman for the New York Film Academy’s (NYFA)
Veteran Advancement Program. But, we’ll get back to that in a
minute.
It wasn’t the first time I’ve met this American “hero”
— a word he dismisses entirely and with a discernable measure of embarrassment.
As for the “gallant actions” that took place on that March afternoon, his
response was simple: “I did what anyone would have done.” An obvious scholar,
Jacobs refers to that moment with a paraphrase from the words of a Jewish sage:
“If not you, then who. And if not now, then when?” In theory this made sense,
but as a civilian his realities that day do not reflect even the grandest
abstract that my mind can conjure.
As is often the case, the conversation with Jacobs
takes as many twists and turns as the fascinating life he has led. At a lecture
that he gave at the New York Film Academy last week, even his recount of the
lugubrious circumstances of that March afternoon elicited a chuckle from his
audiences — even if perhaps uncomfortably so. Self-deprecating, sarcastic and
heartfelt, the dialogue is alluring, chockfull of wisdom and never dull. We talk family, the country village where we have both
called home, and the value of the “Quiet Car” on Amtrak. World peace, as well
as daily inconveniences, are all on the table with Jacobs because, well, he’s
just that real.
All of these things crossed my mind as I considered
the almost surreal irony of the Statue of Liberty lingering over his right
shoulder through the windows of the sun-drenched NYFA studio at Battery Place,
where we sat.
I had met the colonel several years ago at Stockton
University as he began his tour of sharing his experiences and wisdom to a
younger generation — a part that he clearly revels in and takes with unbridled
urgency. As an ambassador of the less than 100 MOH living recipients, he visits
schools of every age group to remind students that we all have a responsibility
to “protect the Republic,” and not only through military service. As for
representing the MOH, there is no question it is a responsibility he assumes
with a shared sense of tremendous pride and unwavering humility.
We discussed the Post-9/11 GI Bill and its over
70-year old predecessor, the original Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944.
Mr. Jacobs spoke with passion on how the Post-World War II version of the
entitlement transformed American society educationally, socially and
economically. Does he agree that the latest version of the Post-911 GI Bill
will lead to an equal generational metamorphosis? “Absolutely,” he replied with
conviction.
As the Director of Operation College Promise (OCP) – a
program founded in 2008 by the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and
Universities (NJASCU) to assist public colleges and universities, I share
Jacob’s passion for the utility of educational benefits as a generation
changer. This reality becomes even more apparent as we acknowledge the over 60
percent utilizing the Post-9/11 GI Bill who are first generation learners. Our
dialogue turns to the growth of support services and programs available to
these learners that dwarf those of Jacob’s peers in the Post-Vietnam era and,
frankly, all previous generations of student veterans. And, one of the most
avant-garde of these is through the media arts.
We further discussed how the New York Film Academy is
building on this philosophy by expanding programming in the entertainment
industry for this population of veterans. Currently serving over 200 student
veterans, the Academy has transformed part of its mission to maximize the
skills that Jacobs categorizes as the most “most capable and creative” segment
of our population. It is exciting to witness the NYFA veteran students being educated
in the skills of the creative industries that include acting, filmmaking, and
screenwriting. As for how he landed on the set of MSNBC as a military
analyst, in his endearing comedic manner, he says simply, “They offered me a
ride and a sandwich.” Why does this man not have his own talk show, I wondered
nearly aloud.
The interview time has run out by now, likely by twice
the allotment. I’m out of questions. Jacobs, loquacious by nature, resumes the
dialogue unfettered. The discussion turns to current events, his colleagues at
MSNBC, and the time he had to stand on a box to perfect a shot with his much
taller colleague. I give him the opening to take a jab at my failed navigation
skills that morning that took me 3 miles from Battery Place. He gleefully, and
with a disarming glance, takes the bait and we agree that LANDNAV would not
have been my forte.
We continue to chat until the next appointment arrives
and I reluctantly give up my time with this hero.
He may not care
much for the title, but if not him, then who?
Special
Note: The United States Congress has designated March 25th (this Wednesday) of
each year as NATIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR DAY, a day dedicated to Medal of Honor
recipients. (Public Law 101-564) Conceived in the State of
Washington, this holiday should be one of our most revered. Unfortunately
all too many Americans are not even aware of its existence.
