CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS & THE DANGERS OF BEING A HIGHLY TRUSTED INSTITUTION

Don't love the military too much, and don't love the other institutions too little It is well-known that poll after poll shows the military ranks as the most trusted institution in the U.S. And, it is equally known that the opposite was true a mere few decades ago. The numbers belie the persistent tensions that exist between U.S. society and its military, tensions that have been tempered through long-standing civil-military norms. Where did these norms come from, and do they suggest that the comtemporary military's positive esteem is on shaky ground? A BETTER PEACE welcomes U.S. Army War College professor Marybeth Ulrich to discuss principles of civil-military relations as practiced in the U.S. and how they help explain U.S. society's high regard for its armed forces ... at least for now. A BETTER PEACE Editor Jacqueline E. Whitt moderates. Marybeth Ulrich is Professor of Government and the General Maxwell D. Taylor Chair of the Profession of Arms at the U.S. Army War College. Jacqueline E. Whitt is Professor of Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor of A BETTER PEACE. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense.