Publication

As instruments rather than originators of national policy, members of the US military have been traditionally expected to remain politically neutral or, at a minimum, highly circumspect about their views. OK, but what about our current social media-saturated age? This case study concludes that 1) America’s military officers are less conservative than any time over the last 30 years; 2) they actively use social media sites and express their political and partisan views on them; and 3) a striking number of officers have posted insulting, rude or disdainful comments about politicians, elected officials and even the US President. Well, so much for being a nonpartisan instrument of policy.