Secrecy News
Civilian Control of the Military, and More from CRS
Posted on Jan.06, 2017 in Congress, Military Doctrine, Oversight by Steven Aftergood
The nomination of Gen. James Mattis to be Secretary of Defense will require a legislative waiver of the prohibition against appointing persons who have been on active duty in the military within the past seven years to the position of Secretary.
A new report from the Congressional Research Service takes a look at the underlying issue of civilian control of the military, and related concerns.
“Historically, the restriction relating to the prior military service of the Secretary of Defense appears to be a product of congressional concern about preserving the principle of civilian control of the military, a fundamental tenet underpinning the design and operation of the American republic since its inception in 1776, if not before,” the report says.
https://fas.org/blogs/secrecy/2017/01/civilian-control-crs/
