An apolitical military is essential to maintaining balance among American institutions
Retired Army Gen. Joseph Votel
Today, American institutions are front and center as we simultaneously confront the triple threat of an active pandemic, civil unrest spurred by racial injustice, and an economic crisis. Resolving these crises will require a coordinated effort from all our democratic institutions: the three branches of our federal government, our state governments, our military, our press, our business communities, and academia. Although the military is an entity within the executive branch, its place within our constitutional order requires special consideration and respect to secure the intentions of our nation’s forefathers.
The role of the U.S. military has come under intense scrutiny in light of recent events. Our military has been scrutinized before, and rightly so, but it has also managed to maintain the esteem of the people it serves—the American public. Indeed, in a 2018 Gallup Poll of American confidence in societal institutions, the military came out on top. This is a long-standing position that our military has assiduously strived to protect. The poll results are more than mere platitudes—they speak to the military’s legitimacy within the American system. I believe there are three key reasons our military enjoys this reputation: it respects civilian control of the military; it represents the people it serves; and it remains apolitical. When the military’s nonpartisan nature is called into question, it challenges those reasons, skews the constitutional balance among America’s fundamental institutions, and threatens our democratic governance.
https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/opinion/commentary/2020/06/08/an-apolitical-military-is-essential-to-maintaining-balance-among-american-institutions/
