Politicians in the Ranks: A Review of the Law and Policy Governing Civil Officeholders in Military Service

Abstract

An important attribute of military professionalism is adherence to the principle of nonpartisanship. Partisanship can undermine military professionalism to the detriment of civil-military relations. The goal of a nonpartisan U.S. military is supported by Federal law and Department of Defense policy restricting the political activities of members of the Armed Forces. Some of these restrictions are directed at members who hold a civil office or desire to seek such an office. This strategy research paper reviews the law and policy governing civil officeholders in military service, assesses how well it protects the military from involvement in partisan politics or the perception thereof, and recommends needed changes.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 18, 2005
Accession Number
ADA434870

Entities

People

  • Steven T. Strong

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Active Duty
  • Air Force
  • Civil War
  • Congress
  • Department Of Defense
  • Electronic Mail
  • Employment
  • Governments
  • Law
  • Military Personnel
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Officer Personnel
  • Personnel Management
  • Students
  • United States
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Government and Public Administration Law.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.