Nic Adams lives in Virginia and works on Capitol Hill as a Professional Staff Member for the U.S. Senate Committee on Intelligence, where he has been since February 2021. Before then, he served as an advisor on national security for Representative Brad Wenstrup of Ohio, Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa and Senator John Cornyn of Texas. Nic and host Michael Whidden connected over the respective prior military service and their mutual concerns for the promotion of civil engagement.
The discussion includes, among other things:
*the difference between a professional staff member and a personal staff member in Congress
*his career path, initiated by 9/11, from Idaho to the U.S. Army to Afghanistan to Capitol Hill
*when slower government action can be a benefit
*understanding the idea of America
*jumping out of an airplane as a U.S. Army Paratrooper
*the most important trait for those serving in special operations
Nic finds a lot of different sources of hope including the bipartisan activity he sees on Capitol Hill and grassroots efforts to promote civil conversation.