Former Defense Secretary General James Mattis visits Georgia for military college building opening

Caption

Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis (second from left) joins Georgia Military College leaders in a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new leadership center on Thursday.

Credit: Sarah Kallis/GPB News

Georgia Military College cut the ribbon on a new leadership center in Milledgeville on Thursday. Former Defense Secretary General James Mattis spoke at the event. 

Mattis spoke to students at Georgia Military College about his career and the importance of leadership and democracy during a keynote address following the official opening.

"This is a democracy. This is all hands on deck. Democracy is not a spectator sport. We all participate. How can you participate if you haven't been given the tools? So these are the tools," he said. 

Mattis served as defense secretary in President Trump's cabinet from 2017 to 2019. He has not endorsed Trump's presidential bid and did not comment on either candidate but stressed the importance of working together. 

"Isn't it amazing what Americans do when they just get together and make things happen?" he said. 

The NewDay Leadership Center houses a theater and classrooms. The school will also host a leadership speaker series in the new building. Veteran home mortgage lender NewDay USA sponsored the new center.