Full Description
This book offers an accessible introduction to the U.S. military as an institution and provides insights into the military's structure and norms.
Designed for undergraduate students, the book offers an interdisciplinary overview of America's armed forces through three critical lenses. First, it introduces the military's constitutional and historical context. Second, it presents concise factual information chosen for its relevance to the military's structures, procedures, norms, and varied activities. Finally, it intersperses these facts with debates, theories, and questions to spark student interest, class discussion, and further research. The text is written for the beginner but covers complex topics such as force structure and the defense budget. With contributions informed by both scholarly approaches and long military careers, the book will prepare students for further studies in international relations, civil-military relations, or U.S. foreign policy. It also encourages critical thinking, elucidating an institution that undergraduates and other civilians too often perceive as both baffling and above reproach.
This book will be of much interest to students of the U.S. military, civil-military relations, U.S. politics, and public policy.
Contents
Introduction: Understanding the U.S. Military Section One: The U.S. Military's Context 1. The U.S. Military in the Constitution 2. Civil-Military Relations Section Two: The Branches of Service and Reserve Component 3. The United States Army 4. The United States Navy 5. The United States Air Force 6. The United States Marine Corps 7. The United States Space Force 8. The National Guard and Reserves Section Three: Structural and Normative Constraints 9. Command Relationships 10. The Joint Force 11. Strategy 12. The U.S. Defense Budget 13. Military Justice 14. Military Medicine 15. Recruiting and Strength Management 16. Tactics 17. Training and Education 18. The Profession of Arms
