Research Summaries

Back Liberia: Civil-Military Relations for Junior Military Leaders; Building Linkages Between the Legislature and the Military

Fiscal Year 2018
Division School of International Graduate Studies
Department Center for Civil-Military Relations
Investigator(s) Hussey, Benjamin T.
Sponsor Naval Education Training Security Assistance Field Activity (Navy)
Summary This proposal is funded through Foreign Military Funding (FMF) in accordance with the Naval Education Training Security Assistance Field Activity (NETSAFA), MASL P309137 (CMR for Jr. Leaders), and MASL P309150 Building Linkages Between the Legislature and the Military. The purpose of this two-seminar exercise is 1) to discuss civil-military relations in general and military professionalism in particular as they relate to military leaders at the company and battalion level; and 2) to examine the methods civilian authorities and military officers in democracies can use to establish effective linkages between a country's legislature and its armed forces. Seminar #1 begins with an overview of appropriate civil-military relations in a democracy and a discussion with the participants about how they see civil-military relations in their country. The course focuses on the key role that junior leaders - officers, non-commissioned officers and their subordinates - play in establishing and maintaining the trust and confidence of their clients, the state and the people. The program is designed to be conducted on the ground with the units. A classroom is ideal, but the program can be conducted under the trees as well. At the end of the program, participants will have a greater level of understanding, knowledge and respect for the role they play in ensuring that the military is competent, disciplined and apolitical, and that it is respected by all concerned. At the end of the program, the participants will design a simple card that will serve as an informal code of conduct for themselves - in times of war on one side, in times of peace on the other. A site-visit is required for the MET Team Leader and CCMR Africa Program Manager (Nick Tomb) to travel to Liberia to meet with Embassy officers and key local officials. Site-visit needs are included in this proposal. Seminar #2 specifically examines the following subjects: the constitutional and legal framework for legislative-military relations; the role of the legislature in framing defense legislation; legislative oversight of defense and military policy; defense and intelligence committee creation with jurisdiction over policy, oversight, and budget issues; civilian expertise and career management of legislators and legislative staff personnel; defining the roles and missions of armed forces; and military liaisons to the legislature. The course provides a neutral venue whereby the virtues of consensus-building and interagency cooperation are demonstrated, and applied, with the result that the experience of cooperation and collaboration continues well after the program.
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