February 23, 1995: Vol26n28: Marine officer asks students to take leadership role in community
A man whom Time magazine recently named as one of the nation's 50 most
promising leaders for the future visited UB Feb. 16 to talk about
leadership, personal motivation and the rewards of public service.
	"The signs they put around campus said I was going to talk to
you about leadership. But I'm also here to talk to you about leaders,"
said U.S. Marine Corps Major Rod von Lipsey, who has served as an aide
to Colin Powell, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and
special assistant to former White House Chief of Staff Mack McLarty.
	"I've been privileged to know a lot of leaders, some you know,
some you don't know. We come across the real leaders in our lives
every day," said von Lipsey, whose lecture was sponsored by Students
Affiliated with the Armed Forces.
	"The wonderful young people in uniform who brought me here
this afternoon want you to be leaders in the military." But von
Lipsey, a Gulf War veteran  and fighter pilot who flew 40 combat
missions, said he wants those who attended his lecture to be leaders
in their community, their schools and their churches.
	"Leadership is not about pointing a finger at what you don't
like; leadership is picking up and making things better. It's not
about raising your voice, it's about lifting your voice to cheer on a
teammate or just speak the truth," von Lipsey said.
	"Once again we've become jaded with American politics," von
Lipsey said. Just two years after the Gulf War victory, he said,
people expressed their displeasure with government by voting a
president out of office; two years later, they again voted their
discontent by overturning the Democratic majority in both the House
and the Senate.
	Von Lipsey also answered audience questions concerning the
size of the military, his opinion of the media, and whether leadership
is an inborn or learned characteristic. Following his presentation,
listeners were invited to talk directly with von Lipsey and military
representatives who accompanied him.