For exemplifying the ideals of “duty, honor, and country” in military service, 1st Lt. Jason Gehrke ’07 was awarded the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award by the Army chief of staff at the Pentagon Wednesday.
Gehrke was one of 28 recipients selected from a pool of junior officers in the active Army, Army Reserve, and National Guard worldwide. Recipients of the award received a 15-pound, bronze bust of MacArthur and had a meet-and-greet with the Army chief of staff, Gen. Mark Milley.
During his speech to guests and family members of the junior officers, Milley explained the process and history of selecting the recipients of the award and said it is a testament to their exceptional leadership.
“This is a worldwide, Army-wide competition, and only 733 recipients have gotten that in the last 29 years that we’ve been doing this, since 1988,” Milley said. “It really symbolizes, I think, not only how great each of these officers is but also how great their units are. So my hat’s off to every one of you.”
Recipients of The MacArthur Leadership Awards are nominated by the very men and women they are leading. Subordinates can choose to nominate one of their unit’s junior officers, and then a third-party narrows down the nominees.
Gehrke said he never thought he would get to meet the Army chief of staff in his life, but the real honor from winning the award was in knowing he had the respect of his soldiers.
“It was an amazing honor and a great surprise,” Gehrke said. “The most significant part was that the soldiers I was leading nominated me for the award. That’s what mattered the most to me. The soldiers I was serving appreciated the work I was doing for them.”
The MacArthur Leadership Award, however, was not the only honor Gehrke has received. In 2013, Gehrke was awarded the Bronze Star for his service providing direct support to combat operations in Afghanistan. His deployment spoke volumes about his leadership ability, according to an Army officer close to Gehrke who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“Of particular note is his deployment to Afghanistan and his command of a company as a first lieutenant, which are typically commanded by captains,” the Army captain said. “After you’ve been around a while you begin to recognize greatness in certain individuals. Jason will continue to excel in any assignment.”
Gehrke’s path to the military was an unexpected one. In 2007, he graduated from Hillsdale College with a bachelor’s degree in history. He said the lessons he learned at Hillsdale were crucial in his military life.
“It is difficult for me to overstate the importance of Hillsdale on my development,” Gehrke said. “I grew up at Hillsdale, and a lot of my approach to military leadership was developed in conjunction with my character there. They taught me how to pursue a good and honorable life.”
After graduation, Gehrke pursued his master’s degree while teaching Latin in Colorado. Three years later, in 2010, a military friend convinced him to join the Army Reserve. He was a stand out from the start.
“Jason is a natural leader,” said the Army captain, who attended basic officer leadership training with Gehrke. “He inspires his subordinates and superiors alike, the former to follow and the latter to keep ahead. Jason’s reflection of the Army values is absolute. Loyalty, duty, respect, selfless-service, honor, integrity, personal courage. What I think sets Jason apart is that the Army values are part of his entire life, not just his military service.”
This “natural leadership” served Gehrke well, and his courage and intelligence during his deployment to Afghanistan were noted by his superiors. “It was challenging,” Gehrke said. “But it was an honor to serve alongside some of the best men I’ve ever known.”
Gehrke said he plans to continue his service in the Army Reserve. An Army promotions board will decide this summer if he will receive a promotion to the rank of captain.
During his speech at the award ceremony, Milley said he would not be surprised if one of the recipients in the room has his job one day.
“There’s 28 of you,” Milley said, “and I have little doubt that some of you are going to be general officers and one of you will probably be standing here 25 years from now and be chief of staff of the Army or chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”