Civil-Military Relations in the United States: A Conversation with the Hon. Leon E. Panetta

As Americans grapple with the legacies of the post-9/11 conflicts, the relationship between the country and its armed forces is at a critical inflection point. What role do Americans want their military to play in civic life? How much does, and should, the military influence policy? From the reintegration of veterans into civilian society, to the dangers of politicization of the armed forces, to the inevitable - and often, healthy - tensions between civilian and uniformed decision-makers in Washington, this event will examine what makes civil-military relations break down and promote what a healthy civil-military relationship can do to reinvigorate our democracy.