Where Camouflage Does Not Blend In: A Study of the Civilian-Military Divide and American Society

Abstract

In early April of 2020, Captain (Capt.) Brett Crozier the Commanding Officer of the Theodore Roosevelt Aircraft Carrier was relieved of his duty by the Acting Secretary of the Navy (SecNav), Thomas Modly. Modly’s handling of removing Captain Crozier from his command resulted in a debacle which in itself led to the SevNav’s resignation from his post. Starting in the Fall of 2018, SEAL team Chief Edward Gallagher was court martialed for accusations of war crimes. After being cleared by a trial under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) on all but one count—posing for photos with the captive’s dead body—and against the recommendation of a number of Gallagher’s superiors and teammates, President Trump acquitted Gallagher of all charges in late 2019. With the demonstrated involvement of the “civilian oversight” increasing in the military mechanism, the question of civilian control of the military is worth revisiting. Since the advent of the All-Volunteer Force (AVF) in 1973, the relationship of civilians with the military continues to evolve today. This thesis explores the history of the armed forces from World War II to the present day to understand how the composition of the force has changed. The thesis will then use that information for an analysis of civilian-military relations that will argue for diversity of thought and familiarity with the military. Civilian-military relations are important for the functioning of the military. More importantly, good relations should encourage civil society that upholds values where participation is respected, and people come together to better understand each other. Civilian-military relationships pervade the nation embodying how the civil society interacts with the military, not just the individuals who have direct control. This thesis explores the triad of relationships between the political, civilian, and military systems and argues that diversity of thought and familiarity with the military are necessary for a healthy civil democracy. Narrowing the civilian-military divide, as evidenced by these two public examples and the entirety of this thesis is necessary to improve both national security and civil society. The civilians need to be involved, to keep the military accountable, to not answer a survey saying that they approve of what the military is doing when they do not know what the military is doing. The military needs to keep itself accountable, seek out new ways to include and promote individuals with different ideas and new thoughts and be open to change. It also explained the theoretical relationship between civilians and the military, marking the traditional ideas antiquated and coming up with new ways to continue involvement for the health of the democracy. Finally, this thesis detailed ways that the military has embraced or methods the military can take on in future years to improve their success, efficiency, innovation, and service to society.