We Are Knox...

By Klayr Valentine-Fossum ’09
Reprinted with permission from The Knox Student

How would you like a job in the White House Situation Room? Updating the president on world events at a moment's notice, chatting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, working only feet from the Oval Office?

That’s where Will Lion '00 has found himself, employed as a senior duty officer in the White House Situation Room. "It's definitely the coolest job I’ve ever had," said Lion.

After graduating from Knox with a double major in political science and history, Lion received his master's from George Washington University in D.C. Through a job fair, he went to work for the Department of Defense. When a job opened up in the White House Situation Room, he applied and completely through luck, he claims, landed the job.

Lion describes his role in the Situation Room as being a "fly on the wall" -- he must always know what is going on and yet stay out of the way as much as possible. He and three to four others analyze press and Intelligence Community reports 24/7. They look at many different sources, mainly major publications and the AP writer's feed, and must be apolitical so their personal bias doesn't influence their summaries of current news.

His reports are sent to the President, the National Security Advisor, and the National Security Council. Lion says the Situation Room works closely with the President, who comes right to the Situation Room when he wants to know what is going on worldwide. Lion must always be up-to-date and ready -- there can be no lag time, and he has to summarize the event in one sentence. This is one of the most difficult parts of his job.

If you want a job with the Situation Room, Lion says, you must "know a little about a lot of things." Lion attributes his job skills largely to his time at Knox. His biggest influences were political science professors Sue Hulett and Robert Seibert '63. Having studied history and political science at Knox not only helps him understand the articles he reads, but it also helps him understand why they are so important.

Lion describes the White House community as tight-knit. He has met Henry Kissinger, helped Condoleezza Rice out of a jammed isolation phone booth, and spoken with the most influential members of the U.S. government, including the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, members of Congress, and numerous foreign heads of state.

A few years after graduation, Lion is where the President will go if there is a crisis. "There's always a crisis," Lion laughs. "It's usually the end of the world."