Enrolling at Oxford and studying amongst cohorts that contain a great diversity of backgrounds and opinion has been both enriching and challenging for Christian. "I had to reintegrate into civilian life," he said. "And once you're outside the US military, you find that not everyone believes in the same ideals. I've met people at Oxford who strongly disapprove of my country's actions, and people who are pacifists and reject even the idea of a standing army altogether. As somebody whose step-father served in Iraq and Afghanistan and consequently suffered from post-traumatic stress, encountering these viewpoints has led me to wrestle with some difficult questions."
On the MBA however, the lessons Christian has studied have helped him to view military organizations from a broader perspective. "Our Global Strategy module with Dr. Marc Szepan has been particularly helpful, and I have a much better understanding now of the relationship between free markets, the rule of law, foreign policy, and where the military fits into this careful balance," he said.
Partly because of his time in Oxford, Christian's long-term plan is to become a military lawyer, a role in which he can help foster greater trust in the US military by stewarding the laws of war during military operations. "There is a lot of work to do in America, both in terms of domestic and foreign policies. And it's on people like me, who have had these privileges, to work hard and do something to make things better," said Christian. Read more.