WASHINGTON — Retired NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw entertained the audience during his afternoonsession at CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference with personalstories about former President Ronald Reagan, former anchor WalterCronkite and former Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kan.)

However, it was his personal idea of establishing six publicservice academies that drew the most whispers in the audience.

Brokaw said big ideas unite America, and small ideas divide. Toreturn the country to an era of civility and tolerance, the tenurednewsman proposed establishing fellowship programs at land grantuniversities, which would be public-private endeavors.

The programs, in technology, agriculture and other specialties,would train public servants who could serve as experts in times ofnational crisis, rather than calling upon the National Guard orother military resourc

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Comparing the drama in Congress to the reality show “Keeping Upwith the Kardashians,” Brokaw said he's never seen the politicalsystem in such disrepair in its inability to find commonground.

“Somehow in the last 10 years or so, we've hit the wall,” hesaid.

He called the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the emotionallyand physically war-torn soldiers left in their wake “not justunjust but immoral,” and said caring for soldiers unable to rejoinsociety would be a good place to start to knit the country backtogether.

Brokaw shared the story of recently deceased Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), who served in W0rld War Twodespite hearing stories of Japanese relatives on the mainland beingheld in internment camps.

After risking his life rescuing Texas National Guard soldiers inthe war, Inouye recuperated in a military hospital with two othersoldiers; the three became friends and decided they would eachpursue a career in public service. The other two soldiers alsobecame senators: Dole and former Sen. Phil Hart (D-Mich.).

That dedication to public service and working together wasevident, Brokaw said, as Inouye's body lay in state at the Capitolrotunda. The now elderly Dole, who came to pay his respects in awheelchair, stood and saluted his fellow veteran, not as a Democrator Republican, but as a fellow American, Brokaw said.

“That's the spirit we need to return to as a country,” Brokawsaid.

The longtime NBC News anchor and The GreatestGeneration author also said the 21^st century willbe remembered as the era of women, noting that more than half ofIvy League university presidents are now women, and more than halfof all law school students are female.