Military Service is a Human Endeavor
A Letter to the President
No, Mr. President, we don’t. Military service is a human endeavor, subject to human failings. The power of a great fleet, and indeed a nation, resides in not in the guns of war, but in the souls of men and women.
For an eloquent exposition of this concept, see S.L.A. Marshall’s seminal work The Armed Forces Officer. Marshall describes the essential limit of military technology: “Military systems reflect the limitations and imperfections of their human material.”
A military member is a servant of society. Absent that trait, the officer is misguided, ineffectual, or both. The soldier or sailor is loyal to the values described in the oath of office, and following that, the mission, the unit, fellow devotees, and finally, him or herself.
It is moral courage that tests men and women, and to do what is right without fear of reprisal is the ultimate trial of will. The U.S. military needs men and women imbued with the highest values to fill its ranks, lest it lose the trust of the people it serves.
Every effort should be made to reconnect missions, even seemingly trivial ones, with the larger mission, and up on the line to the umbrella concept of Constitutional defense. Today’s mission, especially in its balance of diplomacy, demands cooperation with firm leadership.
It is a relatively new notion that the military is an arm that is not just the extension of politics by other means, but also now an everyday homeland defense presence that even in times of peace performs the function of vigilance.
The officer is the manifestation of that vigilance and is inculcated with values that empower such vigilance: although there are many ways to define these values, the Navy identifies honor, courage, and commitment as the key components of a dedicated public servant.
But it can't end there. Many current missions run afield of the warrior-associated realm to require restraint and assistance rather than attack and destruction. The show of force, the show of assistance is just as important as the application of force and assistance.
Fulfillment of obligations small and large in battle and peace relies on trust, and trust is won daily in the smallest of decisions. Above all, the officer’s loyalty is to the country. Without it, even the finest trained military is powerless.
