Attitudes Aren T Free

"Attitudes Aren't Free offers a framework for improving policy in the areas of religious expression, open homosexuality, race, gender, ethics, and other current issues affecting military members. Parco and Levy provide us with a unique and robust discussion of divisive topics that everyone thinks about serving our nation - in and out of uniform - becoeme intimately familiar with this book."--P. [4] of cover.

Attitudes Aren't Free: Thinking Deeply about Diversity in the US Armed Forces emerged from a vision to collect essays from the brightest voices of experts across the range of contentious social issues to catalyze productive discussions between military members of all ranks and services. Forty-nine experts contributed to the following 29 chapters writing on the primary themes of religious expression, homosexuality, gender, race, and ethics. Chapters appearing in this volume passed the scrutiny of a double-blind peer-review by one or more referees from the board of reviewers. The chapters are largely written in a colloquial, intellectual op-ed fashion and capture a "snapshot" of the current discussions regarding a particular topic of interest to uniformed personnel, policy makers, and senior leaders. Each section seeks to frame the spectrum of perspectives captured within the current debates and lines of argument. Authors were specifically asked not to address all sides of the issue, but rather to produce a well-reasoned argument explaining why they believe their well-known position on an issue is in the best interests of the military members and make specific recommendations about how best to address the policy issues from their perspective. The volume is arranged in four primary sections by theme: Religious Expression, Homosexuality, Race and Gender, and Social Policy Perspectives. Within each section, readers will find multiple chapters-each embracing a different perspective surrounding the section's theme. Thus, because of the unbalanced nature of many of the individual chapters, it is critically important that readers focus on the entire spectrum of perspectives presented within a section to ensure they have the context necessary to frame any single perspective. Diversity of opinion has been the hallmark of the United States since its dramatic birth in 1776 and has continued unfettered through today where we now have developed the most innovative and effective military the world has ever known. Thus, it is imperative that we continue to reflect upon the diversity of ideas about how best to formulate the "right" social policy to ensure our service members can most effectively execute their missions.

In 2010, Attitudes Aren't Free: Thinking Deeply About Diversity in the US Armed Forces was published. In 2017, it was placed on the Air Force Chief of Staff's Reading List. Now, more than a decade later, with tens of thousands of copies in circulation across government, industry and academia, it has become celebrated as a model for engaging in critical discussions on social policy topics that span the spectrum of perspectives on religious expression, race, gender and sexuality with contributions from the brightest voices within the US. Since publication, the long-standing debates have continued on the proper role of religious expression within military units. We have seen increasing levels of racial and gender diversity in the senior leadership ranks. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was repealed by Congress. Transgender military members have since been allowed to serve openly. Today, we continue to engage the traditional ongoing dialogues but with a new focus on the #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter movements within society that have ultimately resulted in the transition of power between the 45th and 46th Presidents of the United States. Tomorrow's leaders must not only understand the changing landscape of societal attitudes of the citizens in which they serve, the mandates of our elected leaders that will serve as the Commander-in-Chief of the US Armed Services, but also to best prepare to lead the men and women of the armed services in the most effective manner possible. Volume I of tAtitudes Aren't Free: Thinking Deeply About Diversity in the Armed Forces (2010) offered a framework for improving social policy in the areas of religious expression, sexuality, race and gender by showcasing the complexity through the use of opposing perspectives. Volume II reflects on the progress made over the decade since, but instead of laying the groundwork of a plurality of perspective as in Volume I, Volume II relies on the realities of the national, institutional and personal levels using service members' lived experiences to develop a more robust understanding of life in the military for individuals from increasingly more diverse backgrounds. Ultimately, though reflective dialogue, Volume II seeks to explore and contrast the current social policies of the US Armed Services with the rhetoric that military institutions continue to espouse around the same topical areas addressed in the first volume. This is a Call to Action.

Men and women in the uniforms of our armed services share many things in common, but none more important than their love of country and pride of being an American Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine. Although we may wear different insignia, perform different jobs, and observe different customs, when it comes to the job of defending our nation, the diversity of our missions becomes a fundamental source of our great power. Make no mistake, diversity is a hallmark of the modern US armed forces, not just in terms of our mission elements, but also within the composition of every unit. However, the journey to get where we are today didn't happen overnight, and reflecting back on our history, we overcame many challenges along the way. If we've learned anything about warfare from our earliest experiences back in 1776, end strengths, budget allocations, or technological innovation is never enough to fully maximize our military capabilities in war or peace. The cornerstone of any military success story starts with great ideas championed by principled leaders. Dialoguing with others who challenge our thinking and frames of reference is essential. By creating environments which are conducive to intellectual discourse, we can further our critical thinking skills and bolster our adaptive capacity to constantly see the world from different perspectives-to learn-to understand. As we move forward, we must constantly strive to think deeply, because ideas matter. Attitudes Aren't Free: Thinking Deeply about Diversity in the US Armed Forces is an innovative approach to foster the much-needed discussion on social issues within the military domain and the first volume of its kind. As you venture into the pages that follow, you will encounter a variety of essays on critical topics that are near and dear to our hearts. The volume has been edited in such a manner to give readers an opportunity to engage in a variety of debates framed by some of the leading voices in the field. Each of the experts shares his or her perspectives and suggests ways ahead based on what he or she believes to be best. Plurality of perspective is the essence of diversity. It can become a great source of strength when used to seek a deeper understanding of contentious issues. But for diversity to add value, it is critical that each of us opens our mind and makes a sincere effort to understand the perspectives of others. There is never a guarantee that people with different perspectives will come to agreement, nor should there be. Freedom of conscience is one of the oldest American traditions, and it exemplifies the ideals for which we fight. However, what matters most is that we remain sufficiently open-minded, listen to each other's perspectives, and, when appropriate, share our own. Our goal should always be to seek a greater understanding and a mutual respect of our fellow Americans-particularly those who have sworn to give their lives in the defense of our country. By embracing the diversity of perspective that brought the United States of America into being 234 years ago, we will ensure its thriving future in the decades to come.

"Attitudes Aren't Free offers a framework for improving policy in the areas of religious expression, open homosexuality, race, gender, ethics, and other current issues affecting military members. Parco and Levy provide us with a unique and robust discussion of divisive topics that everyone thinks about serving our nation - in and out of uniform - become intimately familiar with this book."--Page 4 of cover.

National security is pervasive in government and society, but there is little scholarly attention devoted to understanding the context, institutions, and processes the U.S. government uses to promote the general welfare. The Oxford Handbook of U.S. National Security aims to fill this gap. Coming from academia and the national security community, its contributors analyze key institutions and processes that promote the peace and prosperity of the United States and, by extension, its allies and other partners. By examining contemporary challenges to U.S. national security, contributors consider ways to advance national interests. The United States is entering uncharted waters. The assumptions and verities of the Washington consensus and the early post-Cold War have broken down. After 15 years of war and the inability of two presidents to set a new long-term U.S. foreign policy approach in place, the uncertainties of the Trump administration symbolize the questioning of assumptions that is now going on as Americans work to re-define their place in the world. This handbook serves as a "how to" guide for students and practitioners to understand the key issues and roadblocks confronting those working to improve national security. The first section establishes the scope of national security highlighting the important debates to bridge the practitioner and scholarly approaches to national security. The second section outlines the major national security actors in the U.S. government, describes the legislative authorities and appropriations available to each institution, and considers the organizational essence of each actor to explain behavior during policy discussions. It also examines the tools of national security such as diplomacy, arms control, and economic statecraft. The third section focuses on underlying strategic approaches to national security addressing deterrence, nuclear and cyber issues, and multilateral approaches to foreign policy. The final section surveys the landscape of contemporary national security challenges. This is a critical resource for anyone trying to understand the complex mechanisms and institutions that govern U.S. national security.

Featuring 4 reports and 25 personal essays from diverse voices—both straight and gay—representing U.S. Marine Corps, Army, Navy, and Air Force veterans and service members, this anthology examines the impact of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and its repeal on 20 September 2011 in order to benefit policy makers, historians, researchers, and general readers. Topics include lessons from foreign militaries, serving while openly gay, women at war, returning to duty, marching forward after repeal, and support for the committed same-sex partners and families of gay service members.