Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Defcon3 11-14-2012

Details

  • Description

    Find out how one educational institution is helping our nation's veterans by connecting them with employers

  • Duration 28:07
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

FoxNews.com LIVE

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

Hi I don't try to edge -- -- dial you may have been watching President Obama -- now on Defcon three.

You can continue to watch the Obama press conference -- like.

But I actually thinks he's -- activists say -- -- you might as well just new -- out and watch us and I'm KT McFarland.

Well this is -- country this is the time that we dig deep into the national security issues of the day and we also want you to join our conversation say confined -- On Twitter at KT McFarland or join the live chat right here allowing the video window.

We always love to get your questions and your comments.

We decided that today we want to dedicate the shadow of the veterans in honor of Sunday's official veterans day holiday.

So to kick off the show we're gonna speak with one -- about being deployed and coming home.

Joining us from our DC bureau is lieutenant commander -- Murphy now you can follow him at underscore.

Morgan Murphy.

Lieutenant commander -- welcome to -- Hey Casey good to be here great to what you don't ask you is you are -- and normal life that -- naval reserve officer but a normal life you're an author.

And antique commerce store Birmingham Alabama but a couple of times a year.

You then put on your uniform and you go work for the United States navy was -- transition line.

-- that transition.

Sometimes the shock to people they don't expect I guess a food critic to be you know Frontline fighter.

But it is one that I'm really proud of and I'm proud to serve and I like to tell other people about my service so that it might inspire others to serve our military.

Well I would last time I so are you we were in flak jackets and helmets and -- and Catalan Kabul Afghanistan.

Tell what it was like two and be on the front lines of the war.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Well I'm wondering what to do this to talk about you had a very air really I find very moving case -- -- Fox News website about a year ago.

When you came back.

To civilian life and and you talked about.

How all of a sudden -- depreciated things he would never really appreciated -- Perkins sheriffs and share with us what that was like console those things that you pointed out.

Yeah I you know KT I call it the the sacred of the ordinary.

When he.

Your deployed 8000 miles away from your family is a very common -- among my fellow veterans.

You missed just the basic things -- people may think is the big stuff you -- like Christmas and Thanksgiving and of course those holidays are hard.

But it's also just the ordinary backyard.

Barbecues that I missed time -- friends.

It made me appreciate I mean even mowing the lawn and and writing writing checks things that I kind of -- here but.

Each day became.

Very very important and I also learned that came home and -- I learned not to take anything for granted.

To tell the people that I love that I love them never -- a day go by without saying that to them.

Two to spend more time with the people and the things that are really important to me so.

Not everybody's experience is the same -- permeated it really crystallize what's important in my life.

So tell us here now back on active duty and here in the Pentagon what are you doing this week.

I am I've been assigned to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff his public affairs office so it's my first my first week on the job.

Well I just for anybody who doesn't now beyond chairman of that are issued to staff as a senior most military officer.

In the United States government so we are thrilled that you're there.

Morgan I think I'd be remiss if I didn't ask you around when we were together last time it was in Afghanistan General Petraeus was the commanding officer.

In Afghanistan and you briefed him every single day -- you met with them.

You -- with him most days all -- -- what was it like to work for General Petraeus.

And General Petraeus is an amazing amazing manager.

He did you know worked in my civilian life before I became a food critic I was.

A reporter for Forbes.

CEOs and top managers and and General Petraeus it was a very cerebral.

Manager he took a lot -- and distilled complicated.

Problems.

He wasn't.

I think is a lot of people might expected generally yell and power and -- folks around -- he.

He made decisive decisions when necessary but he also listened well.

And he earned the respect of those people who served for him including including this sailor.

Well thank you so much lieutenant commander Morgan Murphy author and in his civilian life up off the -- half.

And this week doing his reserve duty and the Pentagon -- -- chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff office thanks a lot for giants' mark and thank you KT.

Well now switch really -- maybe we've had a lieutenant commander in the navy and so now we're gonna talk to some former air force.

Army and Marines joining me here to talk about the veteran education opportunities are US National Guard veteran and crimson serves co president.

-- -- Tell -- and we also have cures and hutchings.

And Marine Corps veteran and crimson service veteran.

Organization.

Out reach.

Coordinator John Jennings you can follow them at -- crimson serves.

One on Twitter now what is crimson serves you guys are on Harvard.

Harvard scholar as.

-- -- yeah so what his friends and Serbs wanted to -- -- considers is a nonprofit organization has not formally associated with -- But its mission is three -- one is to establish a web site.

So veterans at -- -- at Harvard College or anything graduate schools can have a resource for veterans events happening on campus and we also had an outreach program.

We had a approximately thirty people who -- maturing.

Harvard College students who maybe interest -- -- military service.

And we also run.

-- receive requests from many students or teachers and apply to Harvard College earning undergraduate schools we talk to them about our experiences and give them advice about ways and at the beginning.

Okay let me ask you -- and so you'll hear in the army.

You're doing your army thing and then watch how much did you graduate of Harvard.

It was -- Is chain of events that just kind of hit it wasn't plants is very unexpected but after I got out I actually -- work for Missile Defense Agency.

Then after that the -- has been moved to Boston -- Raytheon.

And then all of a sudden this great opportunity cannot quit Harvard at Simpson's book and I can not take it.

So you're you're still here full time student -- -- her -- staying here full time student at Harvard on the GI Bill Gates and what's your major.

International relations and having done the real thing I guess this is -- where when you're in the army -- -- -- -- I was in Afghanistan so if -- and where in Afghanistan on him.

OK so this is a pretty big change right and I want campus to another -- -- what are the lessons.

That you think you bring to the two you know you're a student -- and and the military.

I don't think you probably one of the most disciplined students at Harvard University position.

I should have -- but is different and actually bring a lot of the classroom more so than the -- that comes straight out of high school.

Abby Phillip deployment experience for the most part we're very well disciplined -- have prior training.

We know how he learned.

And we know how fast and we have a lot to offer not just an hour passes but also appears as well.

Sounds great when it did town let me ask you how Muriel guy in the group found out how are you can't beat Johnson a fan now are you the old guy and most of the classes -- -- -- More or less I mean my -- my path to Harvard was.

For in a word a little unconditional in mind the gulf war -- marine so I left Marine Corps.

Back in the ninety's -- -- -- and a number of years out in the corporate world you can.

Like a lot of people when the economy.

-- I found myself having to really.

Look inward and reinvent myself.

So I knew I wanted to pursue something in international relations I had contact with some organizations down in DC.

They suggest that I look into some of the Ivy League schools in Farmington resident a pretty well within our you wanted to got a heart hurt again.

I after the phone that after I spoke to him I was a little dejected because I didn't really think it was even a possibility but as I didn't -- someone due diligence and I looked into it.

The realistic game and said -- that this was really.

Truly possible.

So -- pursued it and like my -- -- also full time.

At Harvard as well.

Right so so and so another issue nearly here in the downturn here during your -- left the military then you go through the same process anybody else goes through who plans to haven't.

Had to take the SAT should take the advanced placement to -- the -- You're -- and -- for the extension school looks a little.

Big difference.

There are certain criteria they have to fill anybody can go and take classes at the extension school lets you -- degree candidate you have to good news -- process which is outlines and now.

If you go to Harvard website -- -- and it's -- man.

Now I know it's like.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Is there anything that has.

And -- -- share -- -- America has nothing behind how how did you get your children bomb its presence serves as a representation at every school -- at all to graduate schools.

The college an extension school.

So really there's an opportunity for a veteran -- to have a degree to apply to the Kennedy school the business school of law school.

And I came to Harvard personally after spent time the National Guard I'm going to the University of Massachusetts and then just applying and getting in dedicating myself to get him.

-- the Kennedy school so that's a graduate school -- and did you have an undergraduate degree from someplace else -- -- the university Massachusetts -- And so and it cannot let this is kind of big switch for having me when I was at MIT.

There was no ROTC at Harvard.

Harvard you know what sort of everybody at Harvard with sort of give -- a funny face if you can't recognize his announcement.

But it sounds like there's a very strong effort to recruit.

Former military.

Well I think harbors atmosphere has changed significantly for the better after navy and army are -- hard to see came -- over the past few years.

So I think that yes there is there's a great opportunity at Harvard I think the atmosphere of the -- the veterans and the faculty.

It's just tremendous we have a great faculty advisor Megan O'Sullivan.

And she she's been great and we had a tremendous not a faculty support them.

-- press except for your classmates.

Today yeah I he has got all got to be error.

Sharon is that -- -- the yeah I mean.

It was broadly in broad term I mean Harvard communities a very broad representation of pages and different backgrounds and you know -- but particularly with my.

Veteran colleagues I feel very.

Welcomed and accepted but you know even -- mom.

-- veterans it's it's the same thing and then how are there other did you -- other universities when you were all.

Pursuing using energy act -- -- rights.

I sure -- but when I get on the carpet I went there but down sure I know I use my GI bill for undergrad as well.

So I don't know how to judge Phyllis has funded any other -- eleven from -- -- graduate school that.

And so what do you do after this you've you've got your degree at the Harvard degree arguably the best degree in the country and then what do you do after that person.

It's very good question yeah.

I'm not quite there yet but on most likely definitely go back federal service so you wanna be in government I have.

National security aspects of governments as -- -- -- The saying -- unethical and against the policy world eventually but I also may join the average in the military as well in the reserves and -- as a reserve officers.

And went right into.

It did it go when the government route is a possibility -- but I'm also working to cut borrowing.

-- you -- -- certainly considering looking at some of the you know.

Public policy organizations down in DC the think tanks perhaps.

Some sort of an Ngo that's a possibility as well.

With any of you go back into the -- you said you might as a reservist with you guys consider going back into the mountain not at this time it.

For me I'm looking more along those lines of you know perhaps.

-- -- -- -- -- -- I tell is it facilities out there are there -- -- -- they're thinking of getting now they want to make use of their GI bill.

What what many call -- -- not a -- it's been GI bill.

Benefits happens okay so what -- they do.

So I think the post 9/11 GI bill pays up to the maximum.

Tuition fees -- quite at state colleges and universities so that's one opportunity.

And that's what -- use for my progress.

And -- second opportunities to look at a program called the yellow ribbon program yellow -- -- -- -- yellow ribbon program so I'm universities such as Harvard.

Have the -- of a program and that pays the difference between.

The cap which I believe it's 171500.

Dollars for the better part her her -- she sure doesn't but they pay they pay the remainder.

So and there's plenty of opportunities that private and public universities for the people with degrees -- without degrees to go back to.

School and how many people are -- of taking advantage of this program mansion.

It must be tens of thousands of very good percentage.

-- Andy can now I -- that the GI.

Benefits that you have could be transferred.

Right if you decide night you're not to use them yourself can you give them to a family members anybody tonight about.

That's a good question that's.

I'm not familiar with actually my -- my neighbor is currently in the process of keeping them right now he is going to transfer his benefits down to his wife.

So you can transfer and team your wife or spouse or -- -- -- the child's asthma so.

Let me ask you and having had two very different careers right -- of the academic career you have a very disciplined military career.

Which was one of the differences well this certainly is a big difference and there's a transition I think -- you know in the military have a constant sense of purpose to get the mission accomplished.

And anything in college and graduate school you don't always have that immediate purpose so I think that's a challenge that many veterans face.

And done that's the role of the crimson serves tries to -- by having events and participating in the end you know trying to make the community that -- -- it -- it's.

-- -- -- Thompson saying hey there's there's not too much the difference for me instead of going -- miles per hour all the time are working from our ships and mean.

You now have nobody telling you exactly what you need to be doing what you should be doing the senate.

So here's the yeah.

-- I don't know.

There and I.

Did you find a really good balance between.

Just pacing yourself doing.

-- you need to do it.

That's one of the great things about most bats I had never have a problem with that.

Self pacing behind because -- -- -- your final.

Well I mean -- -- and similar to what they said I mean for.

Taking what I learned from the Marine Corps has really been able to help me.

Pushed through.

You know applying myself this -- them and the drive to want to be successful when you know certainly there's -- You know that fear of failure that pushes you want to yeah you don't wanna failure wanna be successful and that's life yeah.

Okay -- we want -- find out more about this program comment about how.

Our military.

Personnel can make that transition from the military.

To even -- like country go to crimson serves.

Dot com.

Thanks very much and we're gonna come back and met with Catherine Herridge.

Welcome back to -- country are cheated thousands correspondent Katherine Harris our joining us from DC with the latest on the investigation into the terror attack -- Ben -- the killing of our ambassador and three others and obviously the Petraeus scandal -- what's up.

What thank you -- -- good afternoon that there are now three tracks of this investigation.

There of the warnings that request for security that were denied before the attack.

There are the administration statements that it was a demonstration that spun out of control and respond -- that anti Islam video.

And there was a conflict there with the existing intelligence and now whether former CIA director David Petraeus -- statements to congress about the attack.

-- in any way impacted by the knowledge that he was the focus of an FBI investigation for his affair with biographer Paul abroad well.

Every time in recent history for the congress to -- role models that we've used in the past it is main guys.

Watergate.

Investigation benefited from a joint select committee Iran Contra contract.

Benefited from a select committee I think finding the truth about being Ghazi is only possible.

If you combined the resource is that these three committees.

Those three can.

And he's being intelligence.

Armed services and also foreign affairs.

Fox News was first to report on September 13 at the FBI in the National Counterterrorism Center that's the nation's hub for threat analysis.

Brief lawmakers and that based on telephone intercepts.

The evidence supported an al-Qaeda not Qaeda affiliated attack.

Lawmakers tell fox there was no mention of the anti -- video or any emphasis on a demonstration outside -- the consulate.

The following day on September 14 CIA director Patrice brief lawmakers that the attack was in fact akin to a flash -- Lawmakers were quote angry frustrated and disappointed -- the general seem so wedded to the administration's explanation.

But the attacks were a demonstration that spun out of control.

In response to this video which was in conflict with the raw intelligence reporting at that time.

And the statements of the FBI and National Counterterrorism Center.

The documents that we see that the CIA had the information they had.

Prior to General Petraeus coming in.

It's impossible to believe that he had -- -- giving us honest testimony.

Now on the other side through his personal contacts the former CIA director has always indicated.

That his abrupt resignation had nothing to do with that bank -- -- scandal KT.

While Catherine thank you so much for about update I have a feeling this is a story we're going to be continuing to watch in the days ahead particularly.

As -- congressional testimony occurs and now I gather General Petraeus himself is going to testify on Friday.

That's right hit it -- Thursday or Friday it seems to be a little influx of the latest information we had is that he would appear at these closed door sessions on Thursday.

Before the house and Senate Intelligence Committees which are bringing together -- Director of National Intelligence the nation's top intelligence officer.

As well as that deputy director of the FBI as well as the head of the national counterterrorism.

Center but what strikes me now is that this story has really.

Metastasized.

And it's this scandal is now being spoken of in the same breath.

As the WND debacle under President Bush as well as Watergate.

OK while I was a veteran of Watergate and the white house of the times -- out of place we wanna go thanks so much Catherine Herridge and we'll be back to you I'm sure next week.

Thanks McNabb to wrap up this show today we've got actually really great segment about how you can help veterans we've got a mother and son team that has a lot of experience on this front.

-- Islam McPherson has a friend of mine is an actress and an author and you can follow her.

At Tina Sloan and she's got her son with her former US Marine Corps intelligence officer.

And current director of operations for red -- analytics reading McPherson and you follow him on Twitter -- -- McPherson.

I can't say I'm so impressed with what -- to review of dining chain here I -- the most famous.

Save time so Barbara start America -- -- on Guiding Light forever and then you decided to do this movie tell me about the movie will come.

I got the script it was called happy new year it's about.

Marine.

Who comes back from Iraq and Afghanistan -- They wounded.

And the post traumatic stress disorder and he arrives back and you know can't relate to his family he.

It.

-- relates to the other he can talk to the other combat people in the PT EST unit.

But it was the most devastating script and I just had to do it because I was the mother of marine and this is my worst nightmare.

That my son would come home like that you know.

An erratic tell me and I hear a guy who can out what -- the gold import pride -- -- whacked her fancy boarding school you went to have heard your superstar.

And then you decide attempt gonna serve your country of some rain why.

-- -- -- So I think it was really needing a lot of military veterans when I was an undergraduate so I -- and officer candidate school right before the 9/11 attacks.

And today the man church -- that I received from a number of the military that's one of -- is that Harvard Business School and remains a mentor to this day.

Did that take the people I -- but it served our country as as marine officers just impressed me so much and I thought.

There's really no better way -- give back after all the opportunities I had with loving caring family on the upper east side of Manhattan.

The opportunity go to Harvard.

To me being one of two people out of 16100 Harvard graduates to serve in the Marine Corps for my class.

Was was a statement in itself and.

Not a day goes by that I don't.

Think the opportunity I had to serve our country in that way and how it's affected my progression after.

After the -- really what where -- you deploy.

My deployment as a Marine Corps officer was to police in Anbar Province of Iraq in 2006 I also served.

In Japan a little bit of time in Korea.

And after I left the Marine Corps -- served as an advisor to the military high command in Baghdad in 2008.

-- -- -- solution during the worst of the fighting that was planned the war have been lost everything was ground.

How did you feel that when.

Well.

2006 is not a not a great time in Anbar Province.

It was really our job to you start to discover.

How -- al-Qaeda in Iraq organized itself how they finance themselves.

How they interacted with the population at large.

And a lot of the work that we were trying to put in is our intelligence unit -- six.

-- it was a devastating time but that's sort of work begin to bear fruit in 2007 and a lot of thanks as a result.

Of of general Alan's leadership.

Picking up the mantle of how economics and politics and how the financing.

Some of our rhetoric and his agents work.

I continue wanna tell you I have military -- as well aren't and that's the scary thing in the world to see -- Hong -- middle of the night nominating mom son.

My daughter was not deployed in combat that your son obviously was -- -- in combat.

The -- how do you feel I mean -- you didn't have a lot of girlfriends who were going through this or not a lot of marine moms that you could call up and say I'm scared.

You know and there -- -- tons and if we hadn't heard from running in a few.

Days or weeks I would never go into the bathtub at the publicist and -- toe in the water are really loud but to sit there and cry -- because I didn't know what else to do.

And it was a -- It can't certain people with this you know you can't say a lot of suffering I'm so depressed or whatever you see just had to sort of toughen up and it worked I worked at CBS where.

The war you know these people -- his interest in the war but they were really good all my coworkers.

-- is on the guy on the Guiding Light were really supportive and my friends were really supportive and since then.

A senate -- Clinton feels another friend another one -- in the Marines a couple more what memories.

Army and they've all gone to different parts of the so I had -- is that these -- you're gonna to -- -- -- -- the room because those you know the military mom yeah.

And then tell me about the movie it's a heartbreaker obviously understand -- -- comes back not physically injured terribly physically -- -- -- handling and mentally and I've seen clips sent it out and tell me again how we find it's moving it's going to open on December 7 at the -- theater on in New York City which is thirteenth street.

And then -- about it here in Kansas well -- hopefully it's going to come out -- everywhere and yes I mean.

And if it does not think they'll put it on dvds and you can get Iraq how happy new year.

And when what was CN starry heavens the -- comes home and what happens -- he goes to this VA hospital they do not.

And he has his leg amputated.

He.

Has can't sleep because he's having these horrible things and he chooses to take his own life.

The -- probably shouldn't be giving away but I mean it's just people to sit there.

They can't move after the movie we had the opening the other night -- and and people don't move -- to sit there.

And how you know I mean you must have seen this ran -- -- that the thing that so many people have.

Been concerned about who love the military is that we have really stretched paramilitary.

Army and Marines particularly at the highest suicide rate the highest divorce rate the highest for -- -- about a great.

And all these things that we just put such strain on our military.

Did the military is entirely strain and and as people -- -- and -- I did around the 9/11 era.

You know I I was fortunate tend not have deployed too many times but there are people that have deployed.

4567.

Times or more and it it's a a great burden on those people I think that.

Just the understanding that there are these wounded vets at home that.

-- -- stress is a major issue that you know.

Some people it at -- and right worked after the military reported on in quantitative we used to just.

Appalling numbers of people that had -- traumatic brain injury.

Posttraumatic stress.

Expressing -- and quantitative ways and just telling the story is important but just as important is this sort of sympathy and empathy evoked from the -- behind it which should mom you know had always taught me growing up -- -- -- an actress but.

You know her portrayal of of a marine mom in happy new year is just is just really powerful so I think exposing.

People from non military veteran families to these issues is is a really important thing and then.

You know supporting that -- in any way we can and small company with some other military veterans and one of our interns and out through this so -- care coalition.

And an organization called the -- foundation is say.

Wonderful -- veterans like your daughter.

Paralympic swimmer gold medalist who is -- by an idea in Afghanistan one year ago so.

You know -- we've taken him -- as an intern to help him.

Get exposure to the private sector and in the same way -- -- your guests from crimson -- had explained that.

Universities.

Even in the Ivy League want to welcome veterans in.

So we as you know small business owners want to welcome that's in our organization -- Mean it's so great and and god -- and I hope all goes really well and -- become a huge success.

And I'm sure they voluntarily happened to your home safe and sound is okay so it's his father's book is called changing issues have brought about -- Life goes on and here -- think it's an unselfish kids initiative and the latest movie is happy here and tell me again the name of your company branding.

Our company is -- -- analytics which is a technology start up based out of Baltimore Maryland.

Sounds really good but -- and I'd rather than okay thank you -- your name has been a lot.

And thank you for joining us today you can catch more -- me on the Fox News Channel and in fact I am debuting today at 5 o'clock about five.

So don't forget fox news -- come -- -- resume programming tomorrow at 11 o'clock.

The event.

Load More