Heidi Urben | June 27, 2017
Why the Military’s Nonpartisan Ethic Has Eroded, and What to Do about it
Editor’s note: This article is based on a study conducted by the author and published by National Defense University Press. Read the full study here.
On June 12, during a hearing before the House Armed Services Committee, Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis stated, “I think it’s important that we make clear not just what the military stands for, but what it absolutely will not stand for.” His statement came in response to Rep. Niki Tsongas’s question about the recent nude photo scandal surrounding the Marines United Facebook page. But with the growth of social media over the past decade, and the failure of military directives aimed at governing servicemembers’ online behavior to keep pace, Sec. Mattis could have been describing any in a range of issues. Among these, another form of inappropriate behavior by members of the military on social media deserves heightened attention, as well—the abandonment of the nonpartisan ethic.
https://mwi.usma.edu/militarys-nonpartisan-ethic-eroded/
