Heidi A. Urben
Heidi Urben argues that the politicization of the U.S. military represents the most serious contemporary civil-military challenge because, as the state’s “legitimate instrument of violence,” the military loses its democratic foundation when perceived as partisan. She defines politicization broadly—encompassing active alignment, passive support, or even the perception of partisan preference. she then identifies three responsible actors: civilian politicians who exploit military prestige for electoral gain, military members (especially retired flag officers) who publicly endorse candidates or express partisan views, and an American public that lacks both understanding of and commitment to military nonpartisanship norms.
The essay traces the steady erosion of the military’s nonpartisan ethic over the past three decades, accelerated by social media, elite behavior, and partisan incentives. Urben demonstrates how attempts to “push back” against politicization can paradoxically deepen the problem, then closes with concrete solutions: curtailing partisan exploitation by civilian leaders, modernizing nonpartisanship training within the force, reducing endorsement activity by retired generals and admirals, and investing in public education about civil-military norms. Her central warning: without intervention, confidence in the military will fracture along partisan lines, recruitment will suffer, and the institution’s effectiveness will degrade as political loyalty supplants merit.
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