21st Century Civil-Military Relations: Disharmony and Dysfunction
Abstract
The past five decades have seen two major shifts in American civil-military relations: the advent of the all-volunteer force and the end of the Cold War. These events necessitated a renegotiation of civil-military relations. However, the uptick in military engagements post-Cold War and the tragic events of 9/11 forestalled any progress in redefining that relationship. The 21st century has seen a decline in civil-military relations characterized by increased politicization of the military, a decline in the number of veterans serving in Congress, the growth of a values gap between society and the military, and an increased regionalization of the military that have contributed to an erosion of trust between the Department of Defense and the Department of State. This erosion of trust has manifested itself in ineffective civil-military discourse that has resulted in policy and strategy blunders in Iraq and Afghanistan. To repair the rent fabric of civil-military relations, we should consider reinstituting a draft while we engage in more cross-departmental exchanges, professional education, and frank discourse throughout the strategy formulation process.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA589189
Entities
People
- Chris Hart
Organizations
- United States Army War College