--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I retired in 2016 as a Lieutenant…" description: "\"I retired in 2016 as a Lieutenant Commander and immediately went to the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.\" — Dan Crenshaw" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/dan-crenshaw-7233_commander_i-retired-in-2016-as-a-lieutenant-comman_1461917.jpg" --- # I retired in 2016 as a Lieutenant Commander and… ![“I retired in 2016 as a Lieutenant Commander and immediately went to the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.” quote by Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/dan-crenshaw-7233_commander_i-retired-in-2016-as-a-lieutenant-comman_1461917.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/dan-crenshaw-7233_commander_i-retired-in-2016-as-a-lieutenant-comman_1461917.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b50/dan-crenshaw-7233_commander_i-retired-in-2016-as-a-lieutenant-comman_1461917.jpg) > “I retired in 2016 as a Lieutenant Commander and immediately went to the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.” [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker highlights a transition from military service to advanced public policy education, emphasizing continued public service. **In simple terms:** Retired from military, then studied government. Key Takeaway Leverage experience for civic impact. Themes career transition service education leadership Mood determined optimistic Type inspirational professional When to use this quote - political office - nonprofit work - teaching - consulting Key Concepts public policy military ethics civic duty Questions to Reflect On - How will you apply military lessons to governance? - What challenges arise when shifting sectors? A Different Perspective Academic study alone may not translate to practical impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [2016 Lieutenant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/2016-lieutenant-5283886/) [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Commander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commander/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Harvard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harvard/) [Harvard Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harvard-kennedy-1626940/) [Kennedy School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kennedy-school-1626942/) [Retired 2016](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retired-2016-5283885/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Went Harvard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-harvard-281173/) ## Related quotes > [Harvard's Kennedy School of Government asked me to serve as a fellow at its Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics, and Public Policy. After…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/harvard-s-kennedy-school-of-government-asked-me-to-serve-as-a-fellow/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I teach in the medical school, the School of Public Health, the Kennedy School of Government, and the Business School. And it's the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-porter/i-teach-in-the-medical-school-the-school-of-public-health-the-kennedy/) [Michael Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-porter/) > [I went to Harvard High because it was a great school. That it happened to be a military school was just a part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-harmon/i-went-to-harvard-high-because-it-was-a-great-school-that-it-happened/) [Mark Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-harmon/) > [I went to Harvard College and determined right away when I was a junior that I was unemployable, since I think I applied to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamilton-e-james/i-went-to-harvard-college-and-determined-right-away-when-i-was-a/) [Hamilton E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamilton-e-james/) > [My father came here from Italy as a young boy, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in WWII, and went to Harvard Law School…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-suozzi/my-father-came-here-from-italy-as-a-young-boy-was-awarded-the/) [Tom Suozzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-suozzi/) > [I graduated from Bowdoin College and went to the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Then I left and took a job teaching really poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/i-graduated-from-bowdoin-college-and-went-to-the-harvard-graduate/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [As you leave these gates and re-enter society, one thing is certain. Everyone out there is going to hate you. Never tell anyone in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/as-you-leave-these-gates-and-re-enter-society-one-thing-is-certain/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [I just went to Harvard a little while, because I graduated from Armstrong High School in Washington and then I went up there but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/i-just-went-to-harvard-a-little-while-because-i-graduated-from/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [Ask five economists and you'll get five different answers - six if one went to Harvard..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-fiedler/ask-five-economists-and-you-ll-get-five-different-answers-six-if-one/) [Edgar Fiedler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-fiedler/) > [Never say 'I went to Harvard.' Say 'I schooled in the Boston area.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/never-say-i-went-to-harvard-say-i-schooled-in-the-boston-area/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [I got a wonderful college education. I went to Harvard. In those four years I accumulated a lot of knowledge but I also created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/i-got-a-wonderful-college-education-i-went-to-harvard-in-those-four/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [When I went to Harvard and studied planning, I found I didn't have the skills or the strength to become the kind of public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gehry/when-i-went-to-harvard-and-studied-planning-i-found-i-didn-t-have-the/) [Frank Gehry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gehry/) > [I picked Harvard because it was in a big city, and a lot of girls' schools were nearby. And I liked President Kennedy, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/i-picked-harvard-because-it-was-in-a-big-city-and-a-lot-of-girls/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [ I enjoyed \[playing lawyer in From The Hip\] as an ode to my dad. My dad went to Harvard and Harvard Law School, so… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/i-enjoyed-playing-lawyer-in-from-the-hip-as-an-ode-to-my-dad-my-dad/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [I'm going to try to pull a Natalie Portman. Natalie went to Harvard while shooting 'Star Wars'. I don't know how she did it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena-gomez/i-m-going-to-try-to-pull-a-natalie-portman-natalie-went-to-harvard/) [Selena Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena-gomez/) ## More by Dan Crenshaw > [If you get your teeth cleaned on Instagram live, it shows that you're just out of touch. That doesn't make you relatable or cool.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/if-you-get-your-teeth-cleaned-on-instagram-live-it-shows-that-you-re/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [When you label them, when one of the most powerful social media companies in the world labels people as Nazis, you could make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/when-you-label-them-when-one-of-the-most-powerful-social-media/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [We just need leaders in Congress who are honest with the American people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/we-just-need-leaders-in-congress-who-are-honest-with-the-american/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [The judicial system is really taking an activist role in preventing Trump from implementing his agenda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/the-judicial-system-is-really-taking-an-activist-role-in-preventing/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [You know you don't want to see somebody in that kind of position to the point where they're actually putting out a cry for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/you-know-you-don-t-want-to-see-somebody-in-that-kind-of-position-to/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [As Americans, we have to be honest and ask ourselves a question: Do we really want to tone down politics? I always hear a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/as-americans-we-have-to-be-honest-and-ask-ourselves-a-question-do-we/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [Our good intentions have gotten in our own way and it's bad for immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/our-good-intentions-have-gotten-in-our-own-way-and-it-s-bad-for/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [We can prove that we are in the business of governing responsibly, upholding our rule of law, and giving priority to those immigrants willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/we-can-prove-that-we-are-in-the-business-of-governing-responsibly/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [The need for physical border security is a very real one. But equally important is the need to focus on the source of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/the-need-for-physical-border-security-is-a-very-real-one-but-equally/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [The Turks have not been historically good about keeping pressure on ISIS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/the-turks-have-not-been-historically-good-about-keeping-pressure-on/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [As veterans we should be smarter about how we talk about things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/as-veterans-we-should-be-smarter-about-how-we-talk-about-things/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [For those of us living in Texas and other border states, the reality of an open and unsecured border is a part of everyday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/for-those-of-us-living-in-texas-and-other-border-states-the-reality/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [Veterans tend to want to be ultra-prepared. They want to know everything they possibly can before running for Congress. That's great... but don't undersell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/veterans-tend-to-want-to-be-ultra-prepared-they-want-to-know/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [The asylum process is being completely taken advantage of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/the-asylum-process-is-being-completely-taken-advantage-of/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [Red flag law is a general concept. There could be good ones and there can be bad ones. You should be against the bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/red-flag-law-is-a-general-concept-there-could-be-good-ones-and-there/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) [Explore all 93 Dan Crenshaw quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [I just read an article about how young American males feel uncomfortable appearing naked in front of each other in locker rooms. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ivory/i-just-read-an-article-about-how-young-american-males-feel/) [James Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ivory/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“The most important lesson that came out of Vietnam for me was that Marines take care of Marines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-most-important-lesson-that-came-out-of-vietnam-for-me-was-that/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I have real strong feelings about our troops and support them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fichtner/i-have-real-strong-feelings-about-our-troops-and-support-them/) [William Fichtner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fichtner/) > [Personally, I don't really have a set style or look. 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