Being Wise in the Involvement of the Military in Civil Affairs

I have a great deal of respect for the United States military and those who lead its various components. As a Vietnam era veteran, I know both the positive and negative aspects not only of military service, but the use of the military in times of conflict. Even so, I have found that those who serve and those who lead are, by and large, highly motivated, patriotic men and women who love their country. This is the primary reason they don’t want to be called in to deal with civil unrest.

This is the oath that all members of the armed services take:

I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

It differs in some particulars from the oath taken by members of the National Guard, by Federal officials, and by the President himself/herself. There are certainly times when members of the Armed Forces are called upon to act within the borders of the United States, but these are carefully limited by law and for good reason. In today’s society, civil policing often takes a more militaristic “warrior” approach rather than a “guardian” approach, so inserting the military into the equation is problematic.

Military leaders don’t want to do civil policing. There are not only legal pitfalls but ethical concerns about the use and potential misuse of power and authority. It makes them uncomfortable.

I am not saying that military leaders are not political or beyond politics. A friend once defined politics as “who gets what and when.” Military leaders must interact with and influence politicians to receive the resources that they need, but they abhor being used by politicians.

So let’s be cautious when we think that the best way to deal with any challenge--foreign or domestic--is with military force. Once that horse is out of the barn, it is difficult to rein it in. Neither the general public nor military leaders want to go down that path.

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