Military Leadership in the 1990s

Abstract

Abstract : Military assumptions about the military leadership found in the literature today are based on outdated data. An analysis of socio-economic backgrounds, career patterns, and perceptions of Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy leaders past, present, and future was made in order to develop a data base of updated material. The military leaders of the future will no longer be predominantly from the old family, upper class, Protestant, rural background. There is no single 'military' portrait, but each service has its own recruitment patterns and, therefore, socio-economic analysis is not sufficient to explain the persistent conservative identification claimed by the future military leaders. The future military leaders believe they are imbued with superior values of sacrifice, discipline, and patriotism. They do not feel they are appreciated by the American society and characterize themselves as isolated from that society. In spite of this isolation, the future leaders do not question the requirement for civilian control of the military. Finally, it is concluded that the concern about what formulates the political logic of military leaders is overstated and efforts in this area should be directed primarily to insure that the outward manifestations of that logic are consistent with national objectives.