Encourage military service: There is no challenge greater than the defense of our nation and our values. Our military has answered brilliantly when called, even as that call has come too often. But we need to ease the burden on our troops--and that's why Barack Obama will call on a new generation of Americans to join our military, and complete the effort to increase our ground forces by 65,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines. To maintain a sacred trust with all who put on the uniform of the United States, Obama will provide them with the equipment needed to complete their mission safely, and deployments that allow adequate time back home. They must see that we'll care for our military families while they're deployed, and that we're providing our veterans with thesupport, benefits, and opportunity that they have earned when they return home. Create new opportunities for Americans to serve--and tackle our national challenges: As President, Barack Obama will expand AmeriCorps to 250,000 slots and make that increased service a vehicle to meet national goals like providing health care and education, fighting climate change and restoring our standing in the world. He'll send more college graduates to teach and mentor our young people and call on Americans to join an Energy Corps to work on renewable energy projects in their communities. And he'll launch an initiative to give our veterans the training they need to succeed in the green jobs of the future. Obama will also grow our Foreign Service, open consulates that have been shuttered, and double the size of the Peace Corps by 2011 to renew our diplomacy. Invest in social innovation: While the federal government invests billions in research and development for the private sector, there is no similar effort to support non-profit innovation. Meanwhile, there are ideas across America that could benefit millions if they're given the chance to grow. As President, Obama will launch a new Social Investment Fund Network so that we can get the grass roots, the foundations, the faith-based organizations, the private sector, and the government to come to the table and learn from our own success stories. He'll invest in ideas that work; leverage private sector dollars to encourage innovation; and expand successful programs to scale. Build service into education: Barack Obama believes that we need to integrate service into education, so that young Americans are prepared to be active citizens. And Study after study shows that students who serve do better in school, are more likely to go to college, and more likely to maintain that service as adults. Obama will set a goal for all American middle and high school students to perform 50 hours of service a year, and for all college students to perform 100 hours of service a year. This means that by the time you graduate college, you'll have done 17 weeks of service. To help accomplish that goal, Obama will require 100 hours of annual public service from every recipient of the $4,000 college tax credit that he's proposed. That bargain will ensure sure that college is affordable for every single American, while preparing our nation to compete in the 21st century.
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