Military Institutions Research Articles

Sport in the military context: A national and international analysis from the perspective of sport management

The regular practice of sport is today fully accepted as a condition for a more active life and healthier habits, as well as for a balanced physical and emotional well-being, assuming greater relevance in the military context and in the world peace between nations, where physical and psychological preparedness assumes special importance. The research aimed to explore military sport by analysing its main international characteristics, as well as to identify the socio-demographic profile of military personnel in the Portuguese Armed Forces, their sports practice habits and opinion about the development of military sport in Portugal. Methodologically, it is a quantitative-descriptive study of an exploratory nature, in which, in addition to the research of several official documents, a questionnaire was applied to military personnel about their sportive habits, obtaining 566 valid answers. The results show a high number of member countries (n=140) in the organisation of international military sport, as well as sport disciplines developed (n=38) and participants in the events held, contrasting with a not very significant Portuguese participation. The main reasons are: (a) insufficient support for athletes; (b) infrastructures that do not offer the best training conditions; and (c) insufficient recognition by military institutions. Regarding the sport routines, it was found that 19.6% do not practice any physical activity at all. We conclude that despite the interest in participating in military sporting events, the portuguese military personnel reported the need for greater investment and promotion to encourage their participation. The need for greater openness from the military institutions themselves is another of the reasons mentioned for strengthening their training conditions and recognising the potential of military sport. Keywords: Sport management, sports development, sport and active life, military athletes, military sport.

EVOLUTION OF THE CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONSHIP IN PAKISTAN IN THE POST-COVID ERA

Pakistan has been ruled by military regimes for almost half of its history. Since the first coup in 1958, the military has experimented with a variety of political strategies and models of civil-military relations, including purely military rule and various forms of hybrid regimes. The military's attitude toward Islam has also evolved over time. Since 1947, the military has recognized the role of religion as the basis of national identity and has sought to integrate it into official propaganda despite the diversity of conceptions. The nature of the relationship between political parties and the military underlies recent political evolution. The 2018 general elections saw Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) prevail in large part due to the support it received from the military establishment. The military chose to support PTI as an alternative to the two main national parties, the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), with which the military has been at odds for nearly two decades. However, the 2018 elections showed that the military's ability to control the political scene is limited. Indeed, the PML-N and PPP have maintained their traditional strongholds in Punjab and Sind. Despite the support of the military, the PTI only managed to prevail in the elections with a slight majority. The crisis of Imran Khan's government between 2020 and 2022 was due to three main factors: divisions between the parties in the ruling coalition; mismanagement of the emergency caused by the Covid-19 pandemic; and the PTI and military's differing view of economic cooperation with Beijing and particularly the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. This situation led to a conflict between PTI and the military and the no-confidence vote in parliament in April 2022 that ousted Imran Khan from power.

Transcultural pathways to the will to fight

In 2022, the "Will to Fight Act" was referred to the US Congress urging attention to measuring and assessing will to fight. That Bill was not enacted, and evaluation efforts within the political and military establishment remain contentious, fragmented, and meager. This likely will persist, along with attendant policy failures and grievous costs, without awareness of research that the social and psychological sciences reveal on the will to fight [S. Atran, Science 373, 1063 (2021)]. We illustrate such research using converging data from a multimethod and multicultural approach, including field and online studies from the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. These studies reveal specific psychosocial pathways, within a general causal framework, that predict willingness to make costly sacrifices, including to cooperate, fight, and die in war and sustained conflict. From the continuing strife in Iraq to embattled Ukraine, 31 studies were conducted in 9 countries with nearly 12,000 participants. These include people in longstanding conflicts, refugees, imprisoned jihadists and gangs, US military, studies in Ukraine before and during the current war, and rolling studies with a European ally of Ukraine. Results provide evidence for a mediation model of transcultural pathways to the will to fight. Building on our previous behavioral and brain research, on the battlefield in Iraq, with violent extremists, and with US military, the linear mediation yielding the will to fight involves identity fusion, perceived spiritual formidability, and trust. The model, a variation on "The Devoted Actor Framework," applies to primary reference groups, core cultural values, and leaders.

Considerations on the Education of the United States Army Officers in the 19th Century

Abstract Our paper presents in broad lines the beginnings of the formal education for the army officers in the United States of America, focusing on the information, the skills and the competencies the future American army officers had to achieve as well as on the training they had to undergo in order to receive a commission. We also analyze the methods of teaching and learning, some of these being still utilized today with great effectiveness. The objective of our article is to show how the Military Academy of West Point managed to adapt from the very beginning to the requirements of the changing nature of warfare and to the requirements of the society in order to provide the United States Army with effective leaders that are capable of confronting the challenges of the present as well as those of the future. Despite its humble beginnings and the harsh historical conditions, the military education in the United State has aspired for excellence and has succeeded into becoming the comprehensive educational system of today. The foundation of the intellectual architecture that will enable the military leaders to achieve victory on the battlefield is prepared in military institutions like the West Point Military Academy.

Education in values: An analysis of teachers’ role in Mozambican military higher education

Now that the moral values preserved by the Mozambican society are contesting by insurgents and there are already allegations of collaboration between some military and insurgents (Habibe et al., 2019), the role of teachers in value education in military education is pertinent to examine. From this perspective, with a qualitative method approach and the involvement of 21 military personnel, the study analysed the role of military teachers in education values in Mozambican military higher education. Based on the analysis, it turned out that a teacher is one of the vectors that a military higher education uses to shape the new generations of officers. To this end, the teacher first adopts values about convictions, character, duty and tradition, preserved by the military institution. Then, it uses four modes of education to the values: active exposure class, supervision of the institution rules, exemplary demonstration, and exposure to professional experience; using these methods and the values they adopt, the teacher teaches students to discover and adjust to the military environment. But, factors related to the international situation, social, political and economic situations, and greed mean that some graduates in military higher education do not follow the values of Mozambican society.

DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL COMPETENCE UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF DIGITALIZATION OF EDUCATION

The development of the digital environment covers almost all spheres of life. Today, every person needs a wide range of digital knowledge, abilities, and skills in the intelligent use of the latest technologies for education, professional activities, and participation in society. Special attention is paid to providing the educational process of institutions of higher military education with appropriate digital technologies that would meet modern challenges and ensure the support and development of modern digital competencies of teachers. The article presents the results of an empirical study of the peculiarities of the development of digital competences among scientific and scientific-pedagogical employees of institutions of higher military education. It was established that in the conditions of digital challenges, the role of a teacher of a higher military education institution as a provider of digital transformations and the formation of his digital competence becomes important. It was noted that the majority of scientific and scientific-pedagogical workers paid due attention to the issue of systematic application of information technologies in professional activities. It was established that teachers need the development of digital competence related to the work of gamification tools, content visualization for solving practical, professional and general educational goals. It was determined that the digital competence of scientific and scientific-pedagogical workers of institutions of higher military education should be considered as the newest type of literacy, which is associated with special knowledge, skills, and practical skills for activities in a digital educational environment. Mandatory structural components of a teacher's digital competence are computer literacy, information literacy, communicative literacy, and safety in the digital environment. The development of digital competences of teachers will contribute to the establishment of interaction with students, overcoming the digital gap between participants in the educational process, the development of digital literacy of students, and their conscious use of digital technologies for their own realization in the conditions of a digital society.

Strategies for Enhanced Cohesion and Performance: Lessons from Military Training and Team Building

This paper delves into the realm of military training and team building to glean valuable lessons applicable too enhancing team cohesion and performance within business context. Through a comprehensive literature review complimented by personal observations, we explore the methodologies employed by the military institutions to foster cohesion and optimize team performance. Drawing parallels between military strategies and business operations, we identify key insights that can be seamlessly integrated into corporate environments. The findings in this study underscore the significance of cohesive teamwork in achieving organizational objectives. From structured training programs to strategic leadership initiatives, the military offers a plethora of lessons for businesses seeking to cultivate high-performing teams. We highlight the importance of shared purpose, effective communication, and adaptive leadership as foundational elements for fostering cohesion and driving success. Furthermore, this research not only elucidates the theoretical frameworks underpinning military strategies but also offers practical applications for businesses at various stages of development. Whether in the formulation strategic plans or the implementation of operational tactics, the principles derived from military training are invaluable assets for navigating complex business landscapes. Overall, the insights gleaned from military practice offer a holistic approach to team cohesion and performance enhancement, providing actionable strategies for businesses to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape of competition and innovation.

Key Concepts in Gender Analysis – A Military Gender Perspective

Abstract This article presents a conceptual analysis of the main terms used in the analysis of the gender perspective. Given the various approaches to the gender perspective, a clarification of the meanings of the terms is needed, especially since they have lately been defined in terms of military acceptance as well. This content is part of the Military Gender Studies (MGS) Project, whose aim is to develop a model of gender perspective in the military, which will be taught in the European Military Institutions through an Army Handbook.

Urgent problems and perspectives of the national Ukrainian language functioning

The article discovers actual problems of the Ukrainian language functioning and developing as of the national state language during the wartime, specifies perspective aspects of the national language safety for the future. On the one hand, our national culture causes increasing concern in the world, encourages learning Ukrainian to stand in solidarity with the nation courageously fighting against Russian invaders, reinforcing considerable part of the Ukrainian society to national values, rejecting Russian as a hostile means of communication. On the other hand, there have been noticeable mitigation of firm positions in the language policy on different levels, some tolerance to russification, unpretentious attitude to the use of Russian in media, in official communication etc. And this is occurring on the background of linguicide, denationalization on the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russian Federation army.
 In the publication the attention is focused on the dissemination of the Ukrainian language in Europe and in the world in the past 2022, relevance of the national legislation. There has been made an emphasis on the necessity of systemic legal protection of the national language with a wide range of influence functions with punishment, among others, when the current laws are not fulfilled. 
 We outline linguistic problems and ways to resolve them, in particular, we consider it important to expand horizons of Ukrainian as a foreign language abroad. On time is functioning of effective Ukrainian-speaking front with the use of all possible media resources as well as realization of wide inventory of the national onymicon. It is recommended to consider Ukrainian latynytsya, translation studies, books publishing, editor institution, slovnykarstvo, documentary science, linguistic expertise, moderate purism, folklore etc. We emphasize the necessity to create «Novy Ukrainsky Pravopys» – the only literary standard of orthography and punctuation for all Ukrainians in the world. It is important to change the third sentence in article 10 of the Constitution, return to initial recommendations of the National Commission of the national language standards concerning the exam on the Ukrainian language proficiency for state officials and those acquiring citizenship, make international Ukrainian rewards, festivals, competitions prestigious and the Ukrainian language must be heard on the platforms of the most authoritative and influential international institutions. It is absolutely necessary to expand and establish Ukrainian-speaking impact in such spheres: on all levels of state power institutions, in the Armed forces of Ukraine, in territory defense forces, national guard, border troops, customs, law enforcement agencies, national police, courts, prosecutor’s office, justice, military establishments, education, science, media, economy, business, tourism, catering and beauty industries. Ukrainian outlook is to dominate in historical realm, museum and archive affairs, cinema, theatre, art, in religious communities etc.

The Family of Minister Al-Sayyid Al-Ajall: A Study of Its Political, Administrative, and Urban Role (7th-8th Century AH / 13th-14th AD)

Objectives: The study aimed to clarify the role of Al-Sayyid Al-Ajall and his family in the service of the Mongol Empire. They worked to develop its administrative and military institutions, benefiting from their extensive experience in administration, politics, economics, and urban affairs. Due to their capabilities, they received the patronage of Genghis Khan and subsequent generations, earning the confidence of the ruling Mongol authority. As a result, they were granted significant powers within the state. Methods: The study relied on the analytical method to analyze historical texts, compare them with others, and discuss them accurately. Results: The study yielded several results, including the minister's keen interest in implementing various reformist and urban projects throughout the country. These projects encompassed the construction of mosques, dams, bridges, markets, and more. Additionally, the minister played a significant role in organizing the state budget, showcasing his expertise and efficiency. Conclusions: The study concluded that Al-Sayyid Al-Ajall exerted every effort to achieve stability in the countries under his rule and promote justice among all. His profound impact on Mongol history and the regions they governed made him an exemplary figure. Additionally, Al-Sayyid Al-Ajall played a crucial role in the spread of Islam across various regions of China. Moreover, he undertook numerous construction projects, including the building of roads, markets, mosques, temples, dams, bridges, river excavation, and the establishment of shelters for orphans and the elderly.

Differences between the service in the national police and military service of law and order

By combining the dialectical and systemic structural method, the purpose of the article was to determine the peculiarities in the differences between the service in the National Police of Ukraine and the Military Public Order Service. As for their practical significance, there are three main types of service: civilian, militarized and specialized. It is shown that the service of the National Police of Ukraine, like the Military Public Order Service, is a militarized state service, but the Military Public Order Service is purely military and the service of the National Police of Ukraine is "paramilitary"; although both institutions perform relatively similar law enforcement functions and tasks. The research assessed the international experience of police and military institutions. It is concluded that, among the ways to improve the current administrative and legal support for the regulation of social relations in the sphere of law enforcement service and, order in the army, in the territories where war hostilities are actively developing, the institute of civilian service should be realized on the issue of differentiation of types of service, namely: the division into civilian and militarized.

‘This is not legitimate peace’: the political discourse of the Colombian armed forces on the agreement with the FARC-EP

ABSTRACT The following paper analyzes the political discourse of several generals of the Colombian Military Forces in relation to the Peace Agreement signed with the Revolutionary Armed Forces– People’s Army (FARCEP) guerrilla, in November 2016. To this effect, and given the legal limitations to make public statements, eleven retired generals of the Armed Forces were interviewed on this matter. All of them held positions of responsibility during the presidencies of Álvaro Uribe (2002–2010) and Juan Manuel Santos (2010–2018). Thus, three dimensions– the peace talks process, Agreement implementation and stakeholder commitment– and eleven factors (impunity, criminalization of the Armed Forces, politicization of justice, among others) were identified, analysed and discussed based on their different accounts. Hence, this study reveals a position on the part of the senior military establishment that clearly questions the legitimacy of the Peace Agreement, both in its origin and in its exercise, thus contributing to a prevailing position of mistrust and scepticism towards the instrument that put an end to five decades of armed conflict with the most important guerrilla group in Colombia’s history.

Marshall Plan and the institutional transformation of Turkey

            In the second half of the XX century, relations between the USA and Turkey are getting tight and close. However, a new phase of relations arose a new need, fundamentally changing the foreign policy vector and ideological factor of Turkey.   It would be logical if Truman’s doctrine would be considered the starting point and decisive aspect of the relations between the sides, as well as revealing secret documents, by the US State Department, where secret negotiations between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union were described. Truman’s Doctrine was constructed to detain the Soviet Union and prevent communism from spreading.     Institutional development (that was the consequence of Marshall’s Plan), prompted Turkey to become a member-state of the powerful military alliance NATO. The abovementioned ideas and facts arise new questions for further analysis, accordingly, the article would try to answer the following questions: What material impact has the Marshall Plan made on Turkey’s economic, political, and military institutions? What was the ideological impact on the Turkish political elite, after revealing the secret negotiations between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, discussing, and dividing Turkish straits?

Colombia’s Pro-military Narratives in the Post-peace Agreement

A decade after the start of the peace talks between the Colombian state and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) insurgency, the country’s military has not been immune to the polarised debates surrounding the final 2016 peace agreement, particularly as today the country experiences a significant rise in polarisation, social discontent and organised armed violence that is blamed by multiple sectors of Colombian society on the peace agreement itself. This commentary traces the origins and development of recent pro-military narratives in Colombia, explaining how apprehensions by the military to the 2016 peace agreement translated into a ‘stab-in-the-back’ notion, portraying the military as victims of a betrayal by the civilian leadership. The consequence of this narrative has been a galvanisation of the support of various societal actors of the military, including by politicising the military institution, to defend Colombia’s decades-old militarised national security approach.

The Analysis of Civil-Military Cooperation in Implementation of Indonesia National Defense Policy

The global multidimensional shift requires the management of general national defense policies. Threats, disturbances, obstacles, and challenges are categorized according to their multidimensional patterns and categories. The potential of these challenges to destroy state sovereignty requires strong and synergistic civil-military collaboration. This study aims to examine civil-military cooperation in Indonesia in relation to the implementation of national defense policies in responding to changes in global threats. This study uses a qualitative method. This study uses an analytical descriptive methodology supplemented by secondary sources. The findings show that Indonesia has attempted to improve democracy, resulting in changes in the principles and practices of civilian authority over the defense sector, which have far-reaching implications for civil-military cooperation. Under democratic civilian leadership, it is critical that military and civilian institutions have the necessary resources to carry out their obligations effectively. Due to several several weaknesses and inhibiting factors, namely integration in sharing information between related agencies, then the division of tasks and coordination of command-and-control units and units that have not yet been formed, this is also due to the absence of a legal umbrella or regulatory mechanisms for implementing activities that involve various elements within them. depends on binding rules and becomes the legal basis for acting and there is no integration in planning joint tasks by creating joint task programs in training and joint working groups so that each agency knows their duties and responsibilities, and can deploy resources or assets owned for the smooth running of the task.

Profiles of Military Medical Students’ Well-being, Burnout, and Retention

ABSTRACT Background Well-being concerns among medical students are more prevalent than their age-matched peers in the United States. It remains unknown, however, if individual differences in well-being exist among U.S. medical students serving in the military. In this study, we sought to identify profiles (i.e., subgroups) of well-being in military medical students and examine the associations between these well-being profiles and burnout, depression, and intended retention in military and medical fields. Methods Using a cross-sectional research design, we surveyed military medical students and then conducted latent class analysis to explore profiles of well-being, and applied the three-step latent class analysis method to assess predictors and outcomes of well-being profiles. Results Heterogeneity in well-being was identified among the 336 military medical students surveyed, portraying medical students’ falling into three distinct subgroups: High well-being (36%), low well-being (20%), and moderate well-being (44%). Different subgroups were associated with different risks of outcomes. Students in the subgroup of low well-being were at the highest risk of burnout, depression, and leaving medicine. In contrast, students in the moderate well-being group were at the highest risk of leaving military service. Conclusions These subgroups may be clinically important as burnout, depression, and intention to leave medical field and/or military service occurred with varying likelihoods among medical students across the different well-being subgroups. Military medical institutions may consider improving recruitment tools to identify the best alignment between students’ career goals and the military setting. Besides, it is crucial for the institution to address diversity, equity, and inclusion issues that may lead to alienation, anxiety, and a sense of wanting to leave the military community.

Corporate Cyber Security in Turkey Investigation Of Legal and Corporate Infrastructure : A Meta-Synthesis Study

Network technologies, which were created to serve military activities in the early days, have gained a civilized concept Network technologies, which were created to serve military activities in the early days, have gained a civilized concept structure after the cold war period. In this context, the opening of internet technologies to civilian use has also made the use of information networks widespread. The spread of information networks has accelerated the information transformation in the social, commercial, military and cultural fields on a global scale. As an effect of this transformation, individuals and institutions perform almost all of their data storage, data transfer, instant communication and service provision in cyberspace. Although this situation creates advantages in terms of time, cost and energy, it has also brought important risks and security gaps due to the emergence of many attack methods, especially data theft, for cyber security. In parallel with this result, cyber attack methods have increased rapidly over time due to the rapid movement brought about by technological developments and have become a much larger, complicated and difficult to notice structure. Cyber security mechanisms developed to defend against attacks that seriously threaten personal data, such as cyber attacks, are also dynamic, just like cyber attacks. Today, it has become a necessity for every institution to develop and implement effective cyber security methods in order to be protected from cyber attacks and threats by structuring their own information systems in digitalenvironments and to ensure the information and data security they have. Such unstoppable developments in technology result in the emergence of new types of threats to cyber security, just as it has been up to now. In this context, the sustainability and operability of cyber security mechanisms are essential. In the light of all this information, in this study, especially in the corporate field, the methods of activity that threaten cyber security, as well as legal and institutional infrastructures are discussed and the level of current cyber security awareness is tried to be determined. As the application dimension of the research, the format and standards determined by the Presidency Digital Transformation Office in military institutions and EYP-2.0 (Electronic Transformation) in the system in the background Correspondence Package) package examined and a demo of the relevant package program has been created. In addition to these issues, the methods that can be developed within the framework of cyber attacks and defense against these attacks are evaluated. It is foreseen that the study will contribute to the literature in this context and will be a useful resource for institutions and organizations in terms of gaining the functionality and sustainability of cyber security mechanisms. Keywords: Corporate Cyber Security, Legal and Institutional Infrastructures, Risk and Vulnerabilities, Cyber SecurityMechanisms.

Catastrophes provoquées par la nature et implication des forces armées : Exploration d'un cadre de collaboration civilo-militaire

Nature-triggered disasters have been causing havoc in Canada over the past decade. Although many of these hazards cannot be prevented (e.g., earthquakes), their impacts can be managed through judicious planning and by mobilizing national resources. Considering the relentless force of nature and the degree of anticipation and preparedness needed, Canadian civil and military institutions must synergize to optimally utilize human capital, knowledge, and financial resources. Both the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and civil society actors have emphasized the importance of enhancing adaptive capacity and reliance on the armed forces for disaster response. As such, frequent involvement in domestic responses diverts the CAF’s focus away from national and international security threats, underscoring a serious national concern. Against this backdrop, the present paper analyzes existing civil-military cooperative models in Disaster Management in Canada and the USA. Three objectives are set: a) to explore the armed forces’ main tenets and approaches to disaster and emergency management, b) to find similarities and differences in institutional and resource priorities (before and during the onset of extreme nature-triggered events), and c) to identify the best collaborative practices and modes of operation of stakeholders involved. Using a case study approach, a desktop review of policy papers and an event database for two large-scale disasters: one in the United States (Hurricane Katrina in 2005) and one in Canada (the 1997 Red River flood in Manitoba) was carried out. The results offered the following major findings: a) organizational and cultural differences between the civil and military authorities in both countries drive the nature of disaster management; b) centralization vs. resource decentralization has remained the key factor in speeding up disaster response; c) political and legal scope and limitations in civil-military cooperation are often blurred; and d) the sole application of the Command, Control, and Communication (C3) approach becomes problematic when a multi-stakeholder approach is preferred for disaster management.

Contemporary French Environmental Thought in the Post-COVID-19 Era by Keith Moser

Reviewed by: Contemporary French Environmental Thought in the Post-COVID-19 Era by Keith Moser Abbey Carrico Moser, Keith. Contemporary French Environmental Thought in the Post-COVID-19 Era. Palgrave Macmillan, 2022. ISBN 978-3-030-96129-9. Pp. 249. Are viruses living? Do all living things have rights? If so, does the COVID-19 virus have rights, and consequently, should we, when receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, "take a moment to mourn the passing of a fellow, microscopic" organism capable of semiosis (86)? In other words, "is it unethical to attempt to wipe out the COVID-19 virus?" (85). This question is not the first line of inquiry in Moser's work, but underlines the deeper, more pressing issue of the complications and consequences of persistent ontological thought that draws on binary Cartesian principles and reductionist logic valuing humans as the only living beings capable of engaging in semiosis, or the process of signification in language. Moser fleshes out the arguments of several key figures whose philosophies have been "cemented" (96, 138) into French environmental thought and whose convergence could help contemporary scholars across the humanities and hard sciences find solutions to the increasing "ecocidal trajectory" (57) we find ourselves in. From Michel Serres, whose "nonanthropocentric reconceptualization of existence" (21) defines his philosophy of communication, Moser furthers the notion that "semiosis is a universal property of life itself" (25) and criticizes the "pervasive doctrine of human exceptionalism" (27). As Moser highlights, epistemologist Edgar Morin argues that human-centered Western thought has removed the human from "the web of life" (68) and that we must "'return the subject to life'" (71). Analyzing a selection of Jacques Derrida's posthumous and late works that venture into environmental ethics and animal philosophy, Moser elucidates a more reserved approach to Serres' contrat naturel, drawing from Derrida's notion of limitrophy and capital beings and suggesting that "ethical lines have to be continually redrawn somewhere" (126). Michel Onfray, "philosophe provocateur" (180), as Moser denotes, would argue that Serres' ideas and some tenants of deep ecology go too far in equating all life forms. However, Moser finds common ground: "According to Onfray, Derrida, and Serres, the notion that we have been granted the divine right to play the role of masters of the universe is linked to our myopic and ecocidal aggression against the hand that feeds" (149). Like Morin's and Derrida's analyses of the gaze of the other-than-human, Dominique Lestel, as Moser explains, "contends that we urgently need to (re)-envision a radically different way of being in the world […] by reconnecting to our cosmic roots to which all species are inextricably linked" (191). Contextualizing and gleaning the most salient and convergent arguments from Serres, Morin, Derrida, Onfray, and Lestel, Moser argues a way forward is through the "interdiscipline of biosemiotics," since it is "uniquely positioned as an indispensable theoretical framework for understanding the unprecedented challenges facing global society" (229). While at times Moser presumes a familiarity with somewhat dense theoretical terminology, [End Page 213] he impeccably places himself within the tradition of French and Francophone environmental thinkers by advocating for a biosemiotics approach to interpreting human and other-than-human interconnectedness. [End Page 214] Abbey Carrico Virginia Military Institute Copyright © 2023 American Association of Teachers of French

Unhonored Service: The Life of Lee’s Senior Cavalry Commander, Colonel Thomas Taylor Munford, CSA by Sheridan R. Barringer

Reviewed by: Unhonored Service: The Life of Lee’s Senior Cavalry Commander, Colonel Thomas Taylor Munford, CSA by Sheridan R. Barringer George C. Rable Unhonored Service: The Life of Lee’s Senior Cavalry Commander, Colonel Thomas Taylor Munford, CSA. By Sheridan R. Barringer. (Burlington, N.C.: Fox Run Publishing, 2022. Pp. vi, 409. Paper, $24.95, ISBN 978-1-945602-22-1; cloth, $39.95, ISBN 978-1-945602-21-4.) Sheridan R. Barringer’s title well summarizes Colonel Thomas Taylor Munford’s assessment of his career in the Confederate army. An equally appropriate title might have been “Thwarted Ambition” because the consistent denial of Munford’s ambition to become a general is a major theme of this book. A graduate of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) who made memorable early contact with Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, Munford had hoped for a peaceable solution to the sectional crisis. When the Civil War began, however, he joined the Second Virginia Cavalry and became its colonel. Munford [End Page 365] deplored the practice of electing company officers and was prickly about his own status even as he looked after the creature comforts of the enlisted men. When various generals were ill or wounded, Munford served in temporary brigade and division commands. Barringer considers Munford a “competent cavalry commander, at every level from regiment to division” (p. 363). Nevertheless, that coveted promotion to general kept eluding Munford, a problem he attributed to personal prejudice and an ingrained preference for West Point–trained officers in the Confederate high command. Munford was recommended for promotion “many times,” and the more often he was passed over the more critical he became of superiors such as J. E. B. Stuart and Jubal A. Early (p. i). In letters Munford railed against the power-hungry commanders whose “envy, hatred and malice” blocked his advancement (p. 190). All of these issues reached a climax of sorts when Munford served with General Thomas L. Rosser in the 1864 Shenandoah Valley campaign. After the disastrous engagement at Tom’s Brook, mutual recrimination between Rosser and Munford quickly mushroomed into a lifelong feud. Munford deplored his fellow soldiers’ obsession with seeking out alcohol, and later he blamed the stunning defeat of Confederate forces at Five Forks in part on George E. Pickett’s drinking at the “infamous shad bake” (p. 289). Munford would always claim that he had finally been promoted to brigadier general at the very end of the war, but there is no evidence that either Jefferson Davis or the Confederate Congress ever acted on the matter. After Appomattox, Munford escaped to Lynchburg, Virginia, and claimed that his command had not been part of the Confederate surrender. Feeling both degraded and depressed by the war’s outcome, Munford proved to be a diehard Confederate. He sought to vindicate his own reputation for decades after the war. He never ran for political office, but he did engage in a variety of business activities and served as president of the board of visitors at VMI. All the while, Munford and Rosser kept blasting away at each other in articles and correspondence. After his wife’s death in 1910, Munford moved to an Alabama plantation, where he died in 1918. Munford left behind a mass of manuscripts that Barringer puts to good use. Besides this family correspondence, Rosser also produced a voluminous amount of material dealing with various Civil War controversies, including his own dealings with superior officers. Barringer’s biography is well researched, though at times Munford becomes lost in a maze of contextual detail. The author had no intention of engaging with the literature on the Army of Northern Virginia, but he should have drawn clearer assessments of Munford’s performance throughout the war chapters. Barringer does a good job of describing the campaigns in which Munford was involved, but some of the maps are poorly produced. The book offers interesting accounts of various conflicts in the Confederate high command and indirectly illuminates the difficulties of deploying cavalry effectively. In the crowded field of Confederate biography, Unhonored Service: The Life of Lee’s Senior Cavalry Commander, Colonel Thomas Taylor Munford, CSA is a workmanlike treatment of a capable but often contentious...