ðɛɹ pɹˈɛmɪs wʌz bˈeɪst ɔnðə ɹˌiːəlᵻzˈeɪʃən ðˈæt, ʌnlˈaɪk lˈɔː, bˈɪznəs ɔːɹ mˈɛdəsən, pˈoʊst ɡɹˈædʒuːət tɹˈeɪnɪŋ ɪnðɪ ˈɛɹiə ʌv lˈiːdɚʃˌɪp wʌz nˈɑːn ɛɡzˈɪstənt, ænd ðeɪ wˈɔntᵻd tə tɹˈeɪn jˈʌŋ vˈɛɾɚɹənz ɪnðə lˈiːdɚʃˌɪp skˈɪlz nˈɛsᵻsɚɹi tʊ əʃˈʊɹ ðæt ˌaʊɚ dˌɛməkɹˈæɾɪk sˈɪstəm ʌv ɡˈʌvɚnmənt kʊd mˈoːɹ ɪfˈɛktɪvli mˈiːt ðə nˈiːdz ʌv ɪts sˈɪɾɪzənz.
Their premise was based on the realization that, unlike law, business or medicine, post graduate training in the area of leadership was non existent, and they wanted to train young veterans in the leadership skills necessary to assure that our democratic system of government could more effectively meet the needs of its citizens.