Why Gov. Cox is pushing voluntary service for America's young people

SALT LAKE CITY — If Utah Gov. Spencer Cox could change one thing about the United States, he knows what it would be: implementing a year of voluntary service for America's young people.

Cox expressed his opinion on X by reposting an opinion article by David Urban, a Republican strategist and former artillery officer in the U.S. Army.

Urban's article argued that there is a need for American youth to participate in some form of national service.

"The country needs what national service actually builds," Urban wrote. "Not just support for a policy idea, but the discipline, work ethic and shared purpose that come from young Americans working alongside people unlike themselves to meet a real need."

In the article, Urban mentioned Cox's role in implementing Utah's One Utah Service Fellowship, a state-funded service program designed to "offer young adults meaningful opportunities to engage in high-impact service that addresses Utah's critical needs and priorities," according to the program's website.

Cox has repeatedly pushed for Utah's youth to engage in public service.

In a 2024 Deseret News opinion article co-written by Cox and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, the two wrote that "the best way to inspire unity is by encouraging people to serve."

"We need to come together again as a nation," they said, adding that "in this time of division, service will save us."

In the article, Cox and Moore discussed how their own lives and careers have benefited from service. Cox served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mexico, and Moore was deployed to Afghanistan while serving in the U.S. Army. The two described these opportunities as "transformative" and said their experiences offered them a "common foundation" for their current work.

"Those who raise their hands to serve help us address challenges and solve big problems," the two wrote. "And service gives people a chance to learn from others and unite around the common goal of dignity and respect — while developing skills that can last a lifetime."

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