Civil-Military Relations

Introducing Command Climate

On May 23, 2017, CSIS's International Security Program hosted an all-day conference on U.S. civil-military relations. To set the stage, senior fellow Alice Friend interviewed a few of the country's top scholars and practitioners.

Erin Simpson: Principals, Agents, and Civil-Military Relations

Dr. Erin Simpson discusses the perennial challenges of command and civilian control, her experiences in Afghanistan, and how much the armed forces should reflect society.

Marybeth Ulrich: Policy, Politics, and the Military Profession

Dr. Marybeth Ulrich of the U.S. Army War College discusses military advice and standards for military professionalism in policymaking.

The Civil-Military Bargain Is a Result of What We Ask the Military to Do

Dr. MacKubin Thomas Owens surveys the history of American civil-military bargains, and argues that we may be in the midst of a renegotiation. He also discusses how the way we think about using military force affects the civil-military dynamic.

America's Military? The Growing Gap between the Armed Forces and American Society

Dr. Michael Desch argues that we should think more about the social aftermath of the post-9/11 wars. Will military institutions respond to Iraq and Afghanistan by insulating themselves from civilian influence socially and operationally? Will non-veteran citizens learn about and connect meaningfully with their neighbors who served?

Richard Kohn: The Civil-Military Relationship is Situational

Dr. Richard Kohn, military historian and unofficial dean of the community of civil-military relations scholars, talks about the full range of civil-military issues today: the military’s relationship with American society, civilian elites’ responsibility to the armed forces, military politicization, and the risks when civilians cede control of the military.