Major General William J. Bowers ’86, the Commanding General of the Marine Corps Installations Pacific, visited PHS on May 10. During his recruitment stop at PHS, his presentation had an audience of about 100 students and revolved around the oath to defend the Constitution, a must for all new military recruits.

“As Americans, [according to the preamble], we leave a better country, for our children, and their children's children, and posterity. … That's what all of us in the military swear to support and defend. … And that's what some of you … are going to be doing in the future,” Bowers said.

Bowers enumerated stories and experiences from his 33-year career serving in the Marines. From leading 11,000 people in the III Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, Japan in 2005 to deploying to Iraq as a Plans Teams Leader soon after, Bowers emphasized the relevance of the lessons he learned, such as the importance of trust and respect in order to succeed as a team, and how that applies to the students’ own lives.

“I think respecting allies [and] other cultures and spending time overseas made me appreciate our democracy and just how great it is. But sometimes I think we can't take it for granted. To ensure domestic tranquility [and] promote the general welfare. I think everything we do [in the military], translates in some way [to civilian life],” Bowers said.

Throughout his presentation, Bowers also talked about his time at PHS, and how Princeton’s rich history allowed him to thrive in the environment of the Marines, especially when recruits come from all over the country.

“Being a student here at Princeton, I learned to be a good teammate for lots of different people and make friends with lots of different people,” said Bowers. “That's really helpful in the Marines because when you're a commanding general, you're going to have the whole country represented. … You have to be able to build a team and a diverse group.”

Daniel North, Secretary of PHS, was tasked with planning the event. Serving nine years himself in the Army in tactile satellite communications, North hoped that the visit broadened the perspectives of all people, especially students.

“I was excited and [looked] forward to meeting him. He's very accomplished and very experienced. I thought it all went pretty well, and I was happy that everything stayed on schedule,” said North. “We really need to … start thinking more globally. Not just to students, but people my age, because [there is] too much division. Too many people seek to find ways to separate … when we should all be coming together.”

During Bowers’s brief stay at PHS, he also took a tour of PHS led by students who are set to enroll in the Military Academies after graduation. Throughout the tour, Bowers was pleased to rekindle his old high school memories and see new additions to the school after his graduation.

“He was definitely pleasantly surprised by the new additions of the PAC and the new track and football fields,” said Rachel Luo ’23, who plans on attending the United States Military Academy West Point.

Luo thought that Bowers made a good impression on the students. She believed that Bowers’s speech made him seem approachable.

“He was very well-spoken and despite his rank, he is very good at putting people at ease and relating to others. He was a great storyteller [and] is very inspiring,” Luo said.

Bowers is excited to see leaders of the future and encourages those within PHS to make a difference, whether it be through the Marines or in other parts of society.

“You got activists all over. … You have a lot of good, optimistic leaders; leadership potential in your generation. Some of you are going to recognize that leadership potential wearing this uniform. I don't know who you are yet. But I know what the numbers tell me. There's a couple of you out there,” Bowers said.