After graduating from Valdosta State College with a bachelor’s in applied mathematics in 1989, Carl Buhler went on to pursue a career in the US Air Force. Since earning his bachelor's degree, he has earned master’s degrees in national security/strategic studies, national resource strategy, and human relations. He is currently based at Air Combat Command (ACC) in Hampton, Virginia and is a Brigadier General. Additionally, Carl Buhler is a member of several military organizations, including the American Legion.
While in high school, Carl Buhler was an attendee of the Georgia Boys State program in the early 1980s and remains an advocate of Boys State, a program sponsored by the American Legion. Chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919, the American Legion is regarded as the country’s largest wartime veterans service organization. The American Legion is committed to mutual helpfulness, accomplishing this through youth mentorship programs such as Boys State.
Boys State is an exclusive and highly regarded educational program for high school students. It was established in 1935 as a response to Young Pioneer camps, a similar program inspired by socialism. Under the Boys State program, students get to know more about the responsibilities, rights, and privileges of enfranchised citizens. Boys State also provides participants with a better understanding of government structures.
In addition to Boys State, two delegates from each of the 49 Boys States represent their state at Boys Nation in Washington, DC. During this week-long government training event, the delegates serve as “senators.” The young lawmakers are then taught how to properly handle bills based on the rules of the US Senate. Several political processes, such as party convention organizations and officer nominations, are also emphasized.
Through the years, Boys State has produced alumni that went on to become actual politicians, while others have been inspired to work in political campaigns. For more information about Boys State, please visit https://www.legion.org/boysnation/stateabout.
