Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Honoring Service series explores civic virtue and responsibility by the service of our nation’s veterans.
In this episode, retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer Zais talks with Vice President of Civic Leadership Develop Gerald Gangaram about the value of her education at West Point, her career as an Army Acquisition Officer, and her current role with defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton.
Zais believes that military service and leadership allow people to share a common set of values and work to achieve common purpose. At West Point, she learned: “When we choose to serve, we choose to live above the common level of life.”
As an Acquisition Officer, Zais worked to ensure that warfighting priorities were adequately supported with the material her team was procuring, from uniforms to weapons and tanks.
Now, at Booz Allen Hamilton, she works within a large bureaucracy to support research and development, testing, and transporting material to the field, ensuring soldiers are trained and know how to use cutting edge equipment.
For Zais, the responsibility of commanding soldiers and leading teams gives people hope and courage that their leader is behind them. She encourages young people not to shy away from learning new things: “Nothing you learn will be wasted.”
To learn more about how the federal bureaucracy functions, watch this video. billofrightsinstitute.org/videos/the-bureaucracy-government-politics-civics-for-the-american-experiment
To learn more about service and responsibility, watch the video, Dwight Eisenhower and Responsibility, here. billofrightsinstitute.org/videos/dwight-eisenhower-and-responsibility-heroes-villains
00:00 – 00:39 Introduction
00:40 – 02:59 Military Service & Leadership Lessons
03:00 – 05:39 Path to West Point & Importance of Education
05:40 – 08:59 Life After Active Duty & Defense Contracting
09:00 – 11:59 Civic Engagement & Public Service Today
12:00 – 13:59 Leadership & Responsibility in Action
14:00 – 16:20 Parting Advice for Students & Educators
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About the Bill of Rights Institute:
Established in September 1999, the Bill of Rights Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization that works to engage, educate, and empower individuals with a passion for the freedom and opportunity that exist in a free society. The Institute develops educational resources and programs for a network of more than 50,000 educators and 70,000 students nationwide.
Official Site: billofrightsinstitute.org
Facebook: @billofrightsinstitute
Twitter: @brinstitute
Instagram: @brinstitute
BRI Educator Newsletter Sign Up Page: https://billofrightsinstitute.org/new...
The Honoring Service series explores civic virtue and responsibility by the service of our nation’s veterans.
In this episode, retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer Zais talks with Vice President of Civic Leadership Develop Gerald Gangaram about the value of her education at West Point, her career as an Army Acquisition Officer, and her current role with defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton.
Zais believes that military service and leadership allow people to share a common set of values and work to achieve common purpose. At West Point, she learned: “When we choose to serve, we choose to live above the common level of life.”
As an Acquisition Officer, Zais worked to ensure that warfighting priorities were adequately supported with the material her team was procuring, from uniforms to weapons and tanks.
Now, at Booz Allen Hamilton, she works within a large bureaucracy to support research and development, testing, and transporting material to the field, ensuring soldiers are trained and know how to use cutting edge equipment.
For Zais, the responsibility of commanding soldiers and leading teams gives people hope and courage that their leader is behind them. She encourages young people not to shy away from learning new things: “Nothing you learn will be wasted.”
To learn more about how the federal bureaucracy functions, watch this video. billofrightsinstitute.org/videos/the-bureaucracy-government-politics-civics-for-the-american-experiment
To learn more about service and responsibility, watch the video, Dwight Eisenhower and Responsibility, here. billofrightsinstitute.org/videos/dwight-eisenhower-and-responsibility-heroes-villains
00:00 – 00:39 Introduction
00:40 – 02:59 Military Service & Leadership Lessons
03:00 – 05:39 Path to West Point & Importance of Education
05:40 – 08:59 Life After Active Duty & Defense Contracting
09:00 – 11:59 Civic Engagement & Public Service Today
12:00 – 13:59 Leadership & Responsibility in Action
14:00 – 16:20 Parting Advice for Students & Educators
---
About the Bill of Rights Institute:
Established in September 1999, the Bill of Rights Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization that works to engage, educate, and empower individuals with a passion for the freedom and opportunity that exist in a free society. The Institute develops educational resources and programs for a network of more than 50,000 educators and 70,000 students nationwide.
Official Site: billofrightsinstitute.org
Facebook: @billofrightsinstitute
Twitter: @brinstitute
Instagram: @brinstitute
BRI Educator Newsletter Sign Up Page: https://billofrightsinstitute.org/new...
