Politics and the U.S. Defense Establishment

This course is designed not only to educate students about military basics but also to broaden student understanding of the political environment in which the defense establishment exists and the politics within the defense department. The course begins with introductory sessions on each military service to include basic organizational principles, services norms, organizational cultures, and chain of command. Subsequent class discussions cover a variety of contemporary issues such as current military actions, outsourcing, bureaucratic politics, the draft, base closures, women in combat, congressional oversight, “jointness,” and the constitutional principle of civilian leadership over the U.S. military.