I am honored to announce five new members of Spirit of America’s Board of Advisors.

Honorable William Burns is president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Ambassador Burns holds the highest rank in the Foreign Service, career ambassador, and is only the second serving career diplomat in history to become deputy secretary of state. When I told one current US ambassador that Bill Burns was joining our Advisory Board he wrote, “There’s probably no Foreign Service Officer alive who enjoys greater respect among the troops.” Learn more about Ambassador Burns.

Ambassador Ryan Crocker has served as United States Ambassador to six countries: Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, and Syria. He holds the highest rank in the Foreign Service, career ambassador. Ambassador Crocker received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award, in 2009. In July 2012, he was named an Honorary Marine, the 75th civilian so honored since the founding of the Corps in 1775. Learn more about Ambassador Crocker.

Edwin J. Feulner is the founder and former president of The Heritage Foundation. After serving as president from 1977 to 2013, Ed served as president again for a brief period in 2017. Feulner’s leadership as president of The Heritage Foundation transformed the think tank from a small policy shop into a powerhouse of ideas. Ed has written about Spirit of America several times; you can read his work here and here. Learn more about Mr. Feulner.

Honorable Jim Mattis, General, US Marines, Retired, served as the 26th Secretary of Defense. Secretary Mattis had a distinguished 44-year career in the US Marine Corps and retired as the commander of US Central Command, responsible for US troops in the Middle East and Central Asia. I first met him in December 2003 when he was the commander of the 1st Marine Division. Prior to his nomination as Secretary, General Mattis served on our Advisory Board, which is when he wrote this letter and when he and I were interviewed at Stanford’s Hoover Institution. Learn more about Secretary Mattis.

General Curtis “Mike” Scaparrotti, US Army, Retired, recently completed a distinguished 41-year career in the U.S. Army as the Commander, U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, NATO. As the NATO Commander, General Scaparrotti worked to preserve the security and stability of the alliance and strengthen it in the face of traditional and new-age adversaries. Learn more about General Scaparrotti.

Our Board of Advisors serves as Spirit of America’s brain trust. Our advisors’ knowledge, insight, and advice are priceless. They help us have an off-scale impact and punch way above our weight.

Please join us in welcoming them to the Spirit of America team.

Jim Hake
Chief Executive Officer