Neil E. Wright has recently hit on the same problem and has suggested the start of an organization called VCR (Veterans for Constitutional Restoration). As I understand it, he is in the process of getting it organized.
I recently sent an e-mail to President Bush wherein I suggested that he urge existing veterans groups (American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, etc.) to employ their fine nationwide network of local posts to advantage of the entire country, mainly by holding weekly sessions open to all adults (including their own members) where discussion and study of the facets of the U.S. Constitution can be covered.
Indeed, our national weakness is known to be the large number of American adults who haven't a clue of how our government should work OR what freedoms our U.S. Constitution protects in various ways.
As is well known, our public officials are supposed to take an "oath of office" before entering upon their duties, BUT how can such a public official live up to his oath "to support the U.S. Constitution" if in fact he has little acquaintance with its content?
I note that you are a former veteran of military service, as I am, and I urge you to proceed with your plan to emphasize and promote our common effort to bring "civics" into greater study, and in this study, more knowledge about our U.S. Constitution.
A year ago, in Sept. 2000, the United Nations was making a strong play to have all nations accept the UN Charter for Global Democracy, and if you look into its facets you will find that this UN document is a far cry from our U.S. Constitution! Try any search engine, and evaluate it for yourself.
More power to your idea that we need to become very familiar with our primary document, the U.S. Constitution.
By the way, with the volume of mail the President gets, you can understand that my e-mail was probably never seen or read by the President; however, the idea matches your definition of our real need, our real problem as a citizenry trying to preserve our envied form of government. Today, even our leaders do a better job of circumventing the checks and balances found in the U.S. Constitution, rather than adhering to its tents. Some of this circumventing may be by true intent; some of it may be by pure ignorance of this document, the envy of freedom-loving people the world over.
Why would Bubba Bush try to kick over a dung heap he is at the top of? He benifits from the system in place now,and celebrates in it. It wasn't Clinton who created the Office of Reich Security or the so-called Patriots Act. It was his alter-ego and protector,Bubba Bush.