JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. – On January 12, Maj. Josue Duarte, the Senior Science and Technology Acquisition Officer for the Fires Capability Development Integration Directorate, picked up the phone and received the news he had hoped to hear for weeks. Duarte was selected to be one of 17 military officers chosen to serve as mentors and Armed Forces ambassadors in support of the 62nd Annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) Washington Week, occurring March 2-9, 2024.
"Every year, the program finds 104 outstanding high school students around the nation that have an interest in public service and has them travel throughout the Capitol learning about the inner workings of government and meeting with the leaders of all branches of government," Duarte said.
In addition to the high school students being selected for the USSYP, military servicemembers are also selected to be mentors to USSYP. Duarte added, "Only 17 military mentors were selected to represent each Armed Force service, and our goal is to bring our diverse backgrounds and experiences to mentor our nation’s next generation of public servants.”
The USSYP was established in 1962 and provides experiences for outstanding high school students interested in careers in public service. The students selected to attend will hear policy issues addressed by the Department of Defense the Senate, cabinet members, directors of federal agencies, a Supreme Court member, and sometimes the president. Students also receive a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate studies.
For Duarte, being selected is a significant accomplishment that continues his history of giving back to his community. Before he wore the uniform, he volunteered for the League of United Latin American Citizens while earning his undergraduate degree.
"I've tried to volunteer in my community and mentor kids there as much I can in my spare time," he said. "I've done work in the community that I grew up in. I've done coaching and worked with my alma maters, the University of North Texas, and alumni organizations."
Duarte joined the Army 14 years ago after graduating from the University of Northern Texas. During his service, He spent time in Georgia, Germany, Texas, and Oklahoma and deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, but he never forgot where he came from.
Duarte's parents came to America in the 80s from Tlapehuala, Guerrero, a small town in Mexico, and settled in Dallas, Texas, where Josue Duarte was born. His parents worked hard and did their best to keep him from the environment he grew up in.
"The area I grew up in was riddled with drugs, gangs, and prostitution, and it still is to this day," he said. "My parents were working all the time, and I was trying to help take care of my siblings, but in my teenage years, I made some terrible decisions."
After graduating high school, a chance encounter while working at Target would change Duarte's life forever. A teacher who worked with an Upward Bound program approached him and, with what started as a chat, ended with gaining a mentor.
Upward Bound is a program that supports high school kids from low-income families and families where parents need bachelor's degrees in preparation for college entrance. The program is specially designed for students who have low levels of English proficiency, students who are underrepresented in post-secondary education, students without a home or who have a disability, and youths in foster care or aging out of foster care.
"I had become part of the environment I saw every day outside my door," Duarte said. "I unfortunately dabbled in drug dealing and joined a gang. Talking with this mentor made me realize I needed to do something with my life and inspired me to apply for college and turn my life around."
Duarte realized that he shouldn't take the opportunities offered to his family in the United States lightly and would be inspired to attend college. While in college, he witnessed cadets from the ROTC program, and this inspired him to join the Army and serve the country that gave his family the opportunities not found in their country of origin.
Duarte hasn't been shy about his experiences and has gone out of his way to deliver mentorship and an example to people of the community he's left. When he saw the USSYP message go out, he knew he had to apply to win a slot to become a mentor.
"The call went out to all of the military services, and I knew it would be highly competitive," he said. "We sent in a biography, a recent photo, a letter of intent, and recommendations. After three rounds of cuts, I was excited to hear that I was selected.”
For Duarte, it's essential for kids entering public service to understand that communities like the one he grew up in still exist and that if they are in a position where they can help, they should do so.
"I hope that these young delegates thinking about going into public service can listen to my story and realize that these types of environments exist, these types of communities exist, and remember not to overlook them if they continue to engage in public service actively," he said. "Many of these kids in these bad environments don't know about many of the programs that can help them or the military. Unfortunately, there are options out there, sometimes just not known to them. I want our next great crop of public servants to understand that."
While preparing to go to Washington week, Duarte remains thankful.
"It's a great honor to be selected to this prestigious program," he said. "Being one of 17 officers selected is a great honor, and I'm just so thankful for the opportunity to continue mentoring and telling my story. I hope some of these young delegates are encouraged to embrace diversity of thought and continue actively engaging in civic issues and public service because it is important."
For more information on the The United States Senate Youth Program view the USSYP website. https://ussenateyouth.org/
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