America’s Future Corps. Let’s Build It.

By Erica and Karen

We love fast trains–the TGV in France, the bullet trains in Japan. But our tracks can’t handle those trains. We love plane travel too, but some of our airports, and many of our runways and control towers, could use a refresh. As could city sidewalks, and many bridges, and dams. Housing. Broadband access. The transmission grid. And lots of other things. 

Our country may be at the forefront of the digital age, but those of us who have been around for a while know we need physical excellence as well. And we are afraid physical infrastructure is being neglected. 

So we have a suggestion. Use the power of multigenerational teams to jumpstart a program. we call America’s Future Corps. 

Here’s our thinking:

In 2024 it was estimated that there were 67 million Baby Boomers in the United States. Baby Boomers constitute over twenty per cent of the U.S. population, and we can be expected to live for at least another two decades. Eleven thousand of us reach retirement age every day. Many of us want to stay connected to the wider world in a purposeful way. We have lots of skills, and we are experienced problem solvers. We are assets waiting, and willing, to be deployed to help the next generations move forward. We are inclined to public service. We came of age when “what you can do for your country” sparked our imagination and our patriotism.

About four million teenagers are expected to graduate from high school this year. Many would benefit from a maturing year of service. 

The big idea? Bring these two groups together to serve the country. Our younger friends have much to teach us about the AI age, and they have energy and drive. Those younger friends would learn what we know–not only how to build train tracks or bridges, but also how to approach life. They would learn that citizenship involves not just rights, but also responsibilities, that service to our country is incredibly fulfilling, and that we older folks actually know a thing or two. We would all confirm a fundamental truth–that we are all in this together.

We propose the creation of a federal domestic program–America’s Future Corps–to channel the expertise of our retirees with the energy of our children, joining our extensive skills with the fresh ideas of our younger citizens, in service to our country, invoking our patriotism and our desire for purpose. Our inspiration is the Peace Corps. That great idea was established in 1961 by a very short executive order.  A committed team was then tasked to bring its bold vision to life. The Peace Corps became a hugely successful force—for those who participated, for those who benefitted, and for the country. We know we can do it again, this time channeling our younger and older citizens to work together on infrastructure.

The mechanics? We’ll leave the details to the brilliant people, both older and younger, who are better at systems than we are, but we suspect AI can easily create a federal database into which localities would enter their wants and needs; younger folks would enter their service preferences; and retirees would enter their skills, experience and location. Matches would be made. Federal incentives would inspire engagement. The Corps would brand its members as part of a vibrant national community, deployed locally, fueled by patriotism.   

Every one of us has something to contribute. Younger people have energy, vision, and creativity. Retirees, whether carpenters or lawyers, health care workers or electricians, gardeners or administrators or doctors, computer programmers or janitors, have skills and experience that can be put to good use. Working with each other will give us common purpose.

There are organizations already involved in this effort, but putting the federal government behind the plan, and calling upon our patriotism, would jumpstart the success of America’s Future Corps.

All of us are galvanized by the restart of space exploration and building a community on the moon–and maybe, eventually, mars. Let’s do the same thing for Planet Earth!