In his civilian job, Lt Col Jon Burgess, an individual mobilization augmentee, talks to a Compassion staff member about a project in the outlying neighborhoods by Bangalore, India in April 2012. Burgess is a marketing director for Compassion International. As an IMA, Burgess is assigned to the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Courtesy copy)
In his civilian job, Lt. Col. Jon Burgess, an individual mobilization augmentee, talks to the Compassion staff and two children about a project in the outlying neighborhoods by Bangalore, India in April 2012. Burgess is a marketing director for Compassion International. As an IMA, Burgess is assigned to the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Courtesy photo)
3/26/2013 - ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- "My two jobs are completely different, but at their very core, the exact same. I work to protect the defenseless and give them hope for a future," said Lt. Col. Jon Burgess, an individual mobilization augmentee assistant staff judge advocate assigned to the Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
What attracts Burgess to both jobs is the call for someone to stand firmly in the gap.
"In the military, we form the hard barrier between the American people and those who want to do us harm," he said. "At my civilian nonprofit organization, we stand in the breach between innocent, desperate children and the horrific poverty they were born into. They are defenseless - often barely clinging to life while the evil of extreme poverty relentlessly bombards them with messages of their own worthlessness."
On the civilian side, Burgess is a marketing director for Compassion International, a Christian child advocacy ministry, where he directs the development of a "mobile experience"- a traveling display that shows visitors the actual lives of real children living all over the globe.
Recently, Burgess traveled to India to capture the real life story of "Brinda" - one of three children to be included in the immersive experience.
"I will never forget my first meeting," he said. "There is a moment when you first look into the eyes of a child cradled in the lap of her mother and they are both engulfed by the overwhelming oppression of unimaginable, extreme poverty."
"It is tangible, the air is heavy with oppression and hopelessness. It is without comparison, and, as a parent, it is one of the most gut-wrenching events of my life," he added.
It is at that very moment he realized that helping kids in extreme poverty is not about politics, or policy or even religion. It is about humanity - as a human, how could he not do something for children living like this?" He has that same pride when helping someone while in uniform.
"While on duty I do my tiny bit for my own family, for my neighbors in Colorado, my friends in California, and the country I love," he said.
"The threats are different to be sure, but in the end I am driven by the certainty that if we all make our contributions with dedicated excellence, our own children will be more secure now and in the future. You just can't overstate the importance of that."
Burgess backfills active-duty JAG leadership at critical times, advising the Air Force Academy Superintendent, mentoring junior attorneys, and providing objective advice to the Staff Judge Advocate and Commanders on a myriad of issues.
"Whether as a an Article 32 Hearing officer, a cadet disenrollment hearing officer, or providing command advice and leadership within the office, in the end, you just want to step in and make something better that day" he said.
Both careers are exceptionally demanding. Lives are at stake, in different but real ways. In order to be a successful in both jobs, Burgess feels it is important for both bosses to be fans of his work in the "other" world.
Education is key for Burgess' success at both jobs, which is why he makes leadership introductions a priority. When he gets a new boss, on either his civilian or military side, he introduces one to the other in their own environment.
"There is nothing like living for an hour in another person's world," he said. "It is not enough to have your civilian boss support your military duty merely because he knows he is legally obligated to do so."
When he does great work, he contributes it to Compassion, which is wholly supportive of his military duties, and his JAG leadership as they know and understand the importance of his civilian job.
For Burgess this results in the "best of both worlds."
Burgess launched the "Compassion Experience" in July to high expectations and rave reviews. For those that can't travel to extreme poverty, Compassion created the mobile experience to bring the reality of the fight, and the amazing wonder of hope, right to their doorstep.
And, the Academy JAG team is exceptional across the board, according to Burgess. In one day they advise senior military leadership on matters of immense strategic importance, field calls from Senator's offices about Cadets, litigate matters of Constitutional proportions, help widows of retirees out of high-interest car loan scams, and everything in between.
"At the end of the day, I want to look into the eyes of my child, or any child, knowing I did my part that day to make the world a bit better. I get to do that in the Air Force and at Compassion, and that is a blessing well worth being thankful for," he said.
