When it comes to leadership, Lt. Adam Swartzbaugh of the Genesis Network believes "you can’t assign any single definition.  A real leader thinks about the person to his or her left and right and makes it their mission to make them better.  We look to our politicians, celebrity athletes and corporate success stories for examples of leadership.  I would sooner rely on the working mom trying to put her kids through school or the middle school student who opted to volunteer at a soup kitchen than go to the movies any day of the week.  Leaders are those who see themselves in the success of others."

As Americans, Founder of the Genesis Network Lt. Adam Swartzbaugh feels we should realize that "all of us live in a free country, we have choices – but there are others that do not.  They are subject to atrocities few of us can imagine.  But, can we not draw something from the pain of others, from the hardship of another person on the other side of the world? Can they not empower us to find in ourselves the courage and strength to make this world a better place, a place that is at the very least livable?  We can, and, for whatever our individual reasons, will make the decision whether or not to do so.  The rest is detail."

Looking for a worthy charity to get involved with? Lt. Adam Swartzbaugh of the Genesis Network advises, "The core elements of any charity must be efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability.  These are best achieved through local empowerment and sustainable development.  In a sentence: teach a man to fish but stick around until he’s got the technique down.  The following three organizations are currently well-established and really hit the nail on the head, although each with very different hammers:

Global Angels

http://www.globalangels.org

Uses creative approaches in developing human rights projects around the world while explicitly focusing on grassroots support and local empowerment

Lt. Adam Swartzbaugh also recommends the Central Asia Institute because "the implications of its work extend far beyond what anyone would possibly expect at first glance:

Central Asia Institute

https://www.ikat.org/

Led by Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea – a ballistic missile of goodwill into the Middle East.  Mortenson is fighting his own war on terrorism…by building schools.  Few could probably imagine there is a connection between providing education to children on one side of the world and ensuring the national security of a country on the other.  Looking abroad to help others has never been more relevant to solving the most serious challenges we face today."

For those of you considering joining the military, Lt. Adam Swartzbaugh of The Genesis Network has a few words of advice: "First of all, if you’re going to join the military you better believe in what the Constitution represents because you’ll be swearing an oath to defend it against all enemies – foreign and domestic.  Take a second to digest the meaning of this before signing up. To become an officer is to become a leader and leadership is what this country, and much of the world, needs more than anything right now. The military has come a long way from the age-old stereotype of the big green machine – it has become an incredibly innovative and adaptable organization, the mission of which continues to expand.  Keep your mind open and challenge the status quo – you will accomplish incredible things." 

Founder of The Genesis Network, Lt. Adam Swartzbaugh is passionate about his work. "GENESIS exists because there are still people in the world who are suppressed, subjugated, bottled-up and beat-down.  I’ve spent 90% of my life externalizing the reality of other people’s suffering and denying any personal responsibility to address it until one day it hit me smack in the face.  A 14-year old prostituted little girl desecrated by a conveyor belt of pedophiles on a daily basis, clinging to the false hope of purchasing her own freedom, was not acceptable.  I started GENESIS to help that child.  When I finished helping her, I helped her friend.   Today, my organization is building a 4-room school for nearly 200 children at risk of falling into the same world of abuse, giving them the support they need to pursue a life worth living.  Many people suffer in many different ways.  But, by helping them develop the ability to overcome their own challenges, their chances of living the life they dream about increase exponentially – whether it’s through education, economic development, or healthcare programs.  But, whatever task GENESIS undertakes, it will always be about that little girl."

According to Lt. Adam Swartzbaugh,The Genesis Network "develops international human rights projects to help at-risk children and communities.  Projects include building schools, economic development and orphan protection.  Global volunteers and philanthropists contribute their time, energy and talents every day." This could be YOU! Lt. Adam Swartzbaugh says we "can help raise funds, organize events, work on a project and spread the overall message.  Right now, the GENESIS Network is seeking out support for its current schoolhouse construction project." Join their mission by visiting www.gnetwork.org or contacting Adam at adam@gnetwork.org.