Recent Publications

Book Review: Thanks for Your Service: The Causes and Consequences of Public Confidence in the US Military
May 20, 2024 — Civil-Military Relations | Author: Christian Nikolaus Braun | Reviewed by Lieutenant Colonel James “Andy” Nichols, US Army War College class of 2023 | Lieutenant Colonel James “Andy” Nichols provides a thoughtful review of Duke University professor Peter D. Feaver’s book on the reasons for—and proposed ways to maintain—the “high public confidence”... MORE

Cover for Thanks for Your Service: The Causes and Consequences of Public Confidence in the US Military

Civil-Military Relations: Guidelines in Politically Charged Societies
May 6, 2022 — Current events warrant a review of US civil-military relations doctrine. This article examines eight principles of military subordination to elected civilian officials and addresses the fundamental question at the heart of civil-military relations theory and practice—what options, if any, does the military have when civilian leadership disregards military advice? Examples drawn from US history provide an important framework to understand the complex interrelational dynamics at play. ... MORE

Strategic Insights: A New Era in Civ-Mil Relations: Rendering Advice to Those Who Do Not Want It
November 2, 2015 — Dr. Don M. SniderRecently, one of the most respected voices of those who work and teach in the field of American civil-military (civ-mil) relations, Professor Peter Feaver, provocatively offered the following question:When it comes to national security, should one advise President Barack Obama on the best course of action or just the best course of... MORE

The Limits of Military Officers’ Duty to Obey Civilian Orders: A Neo-Classical Perspective
July 30, 2015 — Author: Mr Robert E Atkinson, JrView the Executive SummaryThis monograph offers a neo-classically republican perspective on a perennial problem of civilian/military relations: limitations on military officers’ obligation to obey civilian authorities. All commentators agree that military officers are generally obliged—morally, professionally, and... MORE

Closing the Candor Chasm: The Missing Element of Army Professionalism
September 19, 2013 — Author: COL Paul Paolozzi View the Executive SummaryCandor stands as the keystone element in creating the foundation of trust in the Army, yet the topic is muted. Stewards of the Army Profession build trust through authentic communication—in education, training, and modeled in application. Candor was previously included in Army Doctrine, yet nearly... MORE

Organizational Change in the Russian Airborne Forces: The Lessons of the Georgian Conflict
December 1, 2011 — Author: Dr Rod Thornton This monograph considers the recent history of organizational change in the Russian Airborne Forces (VDV). In particular, it looks at how the VDV has changed since the end of Russia’s conflict with Georgia in 2008. The VDV, a force much admired in Russian media and society has, in fact, escaped fairly lightly during the... MORE

The New Aztecs: Ritual and Restraint in Contemporary Western Military Operations
July 1, 2011 — Author: Dr Zhivan Alach The Western way of war has come full circle. After centuries of evolution toward increased totality and brutality, it has turned back once again to the ritualistic and restrained methods of primitive warfare. Largely, this has been due to an interaction between the perceived lack of utility in contemporary warfare,... MORE

Puncturing the Counterinsurgency Myth: Britain and Irregular Warfare in the Past, Present, and Future

Army Professionalism, the Military Ethic, and Officership in the 21st Century
December 1, 1999 — Authors: Major John A Nagl, COL Tony Pfaff, Dr Don M Snider The authors address what they—and many others—perceived to be a decline in military professionalism in the Army officer corps. The authors first describe the ethical, technical, and political components of military professionalism and then address the causes for the decline. They conclude... MORE