Thank You For Your Service show

Thank You For Your Service

Summary: From the University of Chicago Public Policy Podcasts, TYFYS is an educational exploration of the dynamics of American civil-military affairs, covering topics like politicization of the military, defense policy in the news, and the importance of staying informed in a democracy.

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  • Artist: UC3P
  • Copyright: University of Chicago Public Policy Podcasts

Podcasts:

 Hail and Farewell! The Future of TYFYS Podcast | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1917

This is the last episode of Thank You For Your Service co-hosted by Thomas and Nick, who are leaving UChicago and moving on with their Navy careers. After this, TYFYS will join the podcast network at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, where it will be hosted by Dr. Alice Hunt Friend and Dr. Jim Golby.In this final episode, Thomas and Nick look back on the experience of creating TYFYS and interview Alice and Jim, who explain their backgrounds, assess the current state of American civil-military relations, and preview the future of the show.To our listeners: Thank you for joining us on this amazing journey. We hope you’ll keep listening and learning with Alice and Jim – we know the podcast is in good hands.“Thank You For Your Service” is a production of the University of Chicago Public Policy Podcasts and does not necessarily represent the official positions of the Department of Defense or the U.S. government.Podcast Production Credit:Thomas Krasnican, hostNick Paraiso, hostTom Lattanzio, producerSpecial thanks to Dr. Alice Hunt Friend, Dr. Jim Golby, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

 Dr. Risa Brooks on the Theory and Paradoxes of Civil-Military Relations | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3178

Ever since Samuel Huntington wrote The Soldier and the State in 1957, his theory on objective civilian control of the military has had a profound influence on American civil-military relations. Over the course of this podcast series, we’ve explored that theory’s substance and applications to real-world events. But does Huntington’s theory need an overhaul?Dr. Risa Brooks is a professor of political science at Marquette University. She is one of the leading experts in academic civil-military relations, having written extensively about both American and international issues. Dr. Brooks joins the podcast to discuss her article in the Spring 2020 issue of International Security titled “Paradoxes of Professionalism: Rethinking Civil-Military Relations in the United States.”In that article and in this interview, Dr. Brooks argues that Huntington’s theory of objective control contains several paradoxes and deficiencies that are becoming increasingly important in today’s political and military landscape. We also talked about why students and citizens, civilian and military alike, should learn and think about civil-military relations. “Thank You For Your Service” is a production of the University of Chicago Public Policy Podcasts and does not necessarily represent the official positions of the Department of Defense or the U.S. government.Podcast Production Credit:Thomas Krasnican, hostNick Paraiso, hostTom Lattanzio, producerAishwarya Kumar, production managerYi Ning Wong, publisherSpecial thanks to Dr. Risa Brooks.

 Women in the Military: Myths and Realities | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 2481

How have the roles of women in the military changed over time? What progress has been made towards more inclusive and diverse environments in the armed forces? Lyla Kohistany joins this episode to give her take. Lyla is a U.S. Navy veteran, having served first as a Surface Warfare Officer before transferring to the Intelligence Community, where she served as an Intelligence Officer for Special Operations missions. Upon leaving the Navy, Lyla founded a nonprofit called Promote, which is dedicated to helping Special Operations units foster more inclusive work environments.We talked with Lyla about women in the military, portrayals of women service members in the media and their ramifications on the civil-military divide, and how men can be better allies for women who serve.“Thank You For Your Service” is a production of the University of Chicago Public Policy Podcasts and does not necessarily represent the official positions of the Department of Defense or the U.S. government.Further reading:Nicole Alexander and Lyla Kohistany, “Dispelling the Myth of Women in Special Operations,” Center for a New American Security. https://www.cnas.org/publications/commentary/dispelling-the-myth-of-women-in-special-operationsPodcast Production Credit:Thomas Krasnican, hostNick Paraiso, hostTom Lattanzio, producerAishwarya Kumar, production managerSpecial thanks to Brianna Keilar and Tracie Logan.

 Who Serves: Military Demographics in 2020 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1547

Despite popular stereotypes, the best predictor of whether someone will join the armed forces is not race or economic class. According to New York Times national correspondent Dave Philipps, it’s familiarity with the military – knowing someone who has served, usually a friend or family member. The result is that since the advent of the All-Volunteer Force, new recruits have been coming largely from the same places and the same families.Dave covers the military and veterans from a ground-level perspective, hearing and sharing the stories of everyday troops, as opposed to policymakers in Washington. He has been with the Times since 2014, and he has won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting.In this episode, Dave discusses insights from his January 2020 article, “Who Signs Up to Fight? Makeup of U.S. Recruits Shows Glaring Disparity.” Comparing past and present demographics of the military, Dave explains why the makeup of the armed forces has changed, and where the trend is likely to go. He also talks about military efforts designed toward recruiting a more representative force, and why it’s important for the military to truly reflect the population of the entire country.“Thank You For Your Service” is a production of the University of Chicago Public Policy Podcasts and does not necessarily represent the official positions of the Department of Defense or the U.S. government.References:Dave Philipps and Tim Arango, “Who Signs Up to Fight? Makeup of U.S. Recruits Shows Glaring Disparity”. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/10/us/military-enlistment.htmlPodcast Production Credit:Thomas Krasnican, hostNick Paraiso, hostAishwarya Kumar, production managerMorgan Wade, production supportMichelle Tran, production supportSpecial thanks to Dave Philipps, Emma Moore, Mike Robinson, and Tom Lattanzio.

 Phil Klay on "The Soldiers We Leave Behind" | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 2002

What does it mean to be an American? Phil Klay, a former Marine and critically acclaimed writer, returns to the podcast to discuss the connection between military service, citizenship, and “Americanness.” Elaborating on his November 2019 New York Times essay “The Soldiers We Leave Behind,” Phil recounts the story of the World War I “Melting Pot” division, and one of their leaders, Charles Whittlesey. He also describes the harrowing experiences of Black veterans after both world wars, and he connects these narratives to the stories of two Iraqi nationals – Ali and Ted – who, in recognition for serving alongside the US military in Iraq as interpreters, were promised visas to come to the United States. “Thank You For Your Service” is a production of the University of Chicago Public Policy Podcasts and does not necessarily represent the official positions of the Department of Defense or the U.S. government.References:Phil Klay, “The Soldiers We Leave Behind”.https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/11/09/opinion/veterans-war-immigration.htmlEqual Justice Initiative, “Lynching in America.”https://eji.org/reports/targeting-black-veterans/Congressional Research Service report on the Special Immigrant Visa Program.https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R43725/10Podcast Production Credit:Thomas Krasnican, hostNick Paraiso, hostTom Lattanzio, producerBobby Maxwell, producerAishwarya Kumar, production managerSpecial thanks to Phil Klay.

 Congressman Tom Rooney on Military Justice and Presidential Pardons | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 2668

Why does the military have a justice system distinct from the civilian justice system? And what are the implications of having separate forms of accountability?Former Republican Congressman Tom Rooney joins TYFYS to give his take. Congressman Rooney represented Florida’s 16th and then 17th congressional districts from 2009 to 2019. During his time in government, he served on the Armed Services Committee, the Intelligence Committee, and the Committee on Agriculture. Before his political career, Rooney served in the US Army as a Judge Advocate, a military lawyer. He worked as a prosecutor at Fort Hood, Texas, and he later taught law at the United States Military Academy at West Point.In this episode Congressman Rooney discusses his time in the Army and in Congress. In light of his background with military justice and his political experience, Rep. Rooney also gives his perspective on the President’s decision to pardon convicted or alleged war criminals.This episode was recorded on the morning of November 20, 2019. The situation concerning Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher has developed since then.“Thank You For Your Service” is a production of the University of Chicago Public Policy Podcasts and does not necessarily represent the official positions of the Department of Defense or the U.S. government.Podcast Production Credit:Thomas Krasnican, hostNick Paraiso, hostTom Lattanzio, producerBobby Maxwell, producerSpecial thanks to Congressman Tom Rooney, Ashley Jorn, and the Institute of Politics.

 Why We Join: Thoughts on Military Recruitment | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 2195

“Thank You For Your Service” is back. In Season 2, we’ll be taking a hard look at how the military institution interacts with American social issues and social change: race, gender, LGBT issues. We’ll address questions like: Who joins the military and why? What can be done to address sexual assault in the military or mental health issues among service members and veterans? What does the veteran transition to civilian life look like? We’re hoping to provide more context and information to these ongoing conversations, so they get the focused, rigorous, analytic examination they deserve.In this Season 2 premiere, Thomas and Nick look at reasons for joining the military. First, they speak to students on campus to get an informal look at why civilians think people enlist. Many of these stereotypes do not stack up to reality, and researcher Emma Moore joins to explain what the evidence shows. Finally, Thomas and Nick speak with Kaedy Puckett, a Navy veteran and first-year student at UChicago, to get a personal look at her reasons for joining the military.“Thank You For Your Service” is a production of the University of Chicago Public Policy Podcasts and does not necessarily represent the official positions of the Department of Defense or the U.S. government.Podcast Production Credit:Thomas Krasnican, hostNick Paraiso, hostTommy Lattanzio, producerBobby Maxwell, editorMichelle Tran, producerSpecial thanks to Emma Moore, Kaedy Puckett, and Morgan Wade

 Inside the Pentagon with Sec. Mattis’s Former Chief Speechwriter | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 2645

Recently retired Navy commander Guy “Bus” Snodgrass served as chief speechwriter to Secretary James Mattis for most of his tenure as Secretary of Defense. Snodgrass has recently published a book, Holding the Line: Inside Trump’s Pentagon with Secretary Mattis. In it, the former speechwriter gives a behind-the-scenes look at national security decision-making at the highest levels of government.Snodgrass’s decision to reveal private conversations in his memoir has been met with criticism. Some have accused him of being self-serving or selling out. Others argue it is inappropriate for a military official to go public with the sensitive information he was privy to.Guy Snodgrass joins Thomas and Nick for this special episode of TYFYS to address those criticisms and to provide context on his decision to write this book. They also evaluate criticisms of Secretary Mattis’s time in office, and talk through leadership lessons that can be gleaned from Snodgrass’s time at the Pentagon.This podcast is in no way intended to reflect the official positions of the Department of Defense or any other military entity.Podcast Production Credit:Thomas Krasnican, hostNick Paraiso, hostAishwarya Kumar, production manager

 Beyond America: Civil-Military Relations Around the World | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3068

Dr. Paul Staniland and Dr. Austin Carson, political science professors at the University of Chicago, join the podcast to discuss how studying international civil-military relations can shed light on American civ-mil – and how the challenges of maintaining civilian control of militaries play out in countries around the world. Why do some countries experience coups, and others don’t? What happens when a country’s military becomes truly politicized? In addition, we discuss Dr. Carson’s new book Secret Wars: Covert Conflict in International Politics, which was recently named the winner of the 2018 Lepgold Book Prize – one of the most prestigious awards in the international affairs field, which Dr. Staniland also won three years ago.Note: This episode was recorded in late August 2019, prior to the breakdown of the United States' negotiations with the Taliban.This podcast is in no way intended to reflect the official positions of the Department of Defense or any other military entity.Podcast Production Credit:Thomas Krasnican, hostNick Paraiso, hostAishwarya Kumar, producer

 #NatSecGirlSquad: Building Competent Diversity in National Security | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 2253

Maggie Feldman-Piltch is the founder of #NatSecGirlSquad, a professional development community committed to promoting competent diversity in national security and defense. She joins the podcast to discuss her experiences as an organizer and strategist, what motivates her to work towards putting more women at the table for national security discussions, and to share her vision for the future of #NatSecGirlSquad. We also discussed her perspective on the brand-new Leadership Council for Women in National Security (LC-WINS), where she sits on the Steering Committee, as well as our favorite West Wing characters and Maggie’s future presidential cabinet.Notes:You can find #NatSecGirlSquad at www.natsecgirlsquad.com and LC-WINS at www.lcwins.org. If you were unfamiliar with the names of some of the experts Maggie named in this episode, you can find most of their bios on the LC-WINS Steering Committee page.This podcast is in no way intended to reflect the official positions of the Department of Defense or any other military entity.Podcast Production Credit:Thomas Krasnican, hostNick Paraiso, hostAishwarya Kumar, producer

 Dr. Peter Feaver on Why the Civil-Military Gap Matters | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 2940

Few scholars have had a greater influence on the academic study of American civil-military relations than Dr. Peter Feaver. But Dr. Feaver’s career has reached far beyond the campus of Duke University, where he is a professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy and director of the American Grand Strategy Program. The author and editor of several books and innumerable papers on national security, he has also served twice on the National Security Council staff and as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserves. In this episode, we explore what Dr. Feaver has learned during his career as a scholar-practitioner. We also discuss the “civil-military gap” – Dr. Feaver’s groundbreaking research project with Dr. Richard Kohn at the Triangle Institute nearly twenty years ago, trends in American civ-mil since then, and his ongoing work with Lieutenant Colonel Jim Golby. This podcast is in no way intended to reflect the official positions of the Department of Defense or any other military entity.Podcast Production Credit:Thomas Krasnican, hostNick Paraiso, hostAishwarya Kumar, producerHaz Yano, publisherSpecial thanks to Don Hoover.

 Jake Tapper on Bridging the Civil-Military Divide | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 2454

From his hard-hitting interviews with prominent politicians to his work reporting from the Middle East, Jake Tapper has been a forceful presence in political journalism for the last 20 years. He is currently CNN’s Chief Washington Correspondent and the anchor of The Lead with Jake Tapper, as well as the host of CNN’s Sunday political show, State of the Union.In 2012, Mr. Tapper published a book, The Outpost, which covers the history of Combat Outpost Keating in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan leading up to a deadly battle that claimed the lives of eight American service members. The book has been widely praised for its realism, detail, and accuracy. It is now in development as a major motion picture.Jake Tapper joins Thomas and Nick for the final episode of TYFYS’s first season to discuss The Outpost, the relationship between journalism and the military, and how to bridge the civil-military divide. Notes:-FOIA = Freedom of Information Act request-“3-61 CAV” and “3-71 CAV” refer to U.S. Army regiments that were stationed at Combat Outpost KeatingThis podcast is in no way intended to reflect the official positions of the Department of Defense or any other military entity.Podcast Production Credit:Thomas Krasnican, hostNick Paraiso, hostHaz Yano, producer & publisherAishwarya Kumar, producerMary Martha Maclay, producerSpecial thanks to Brianna Keilar.

 David Axelrod on the Domestic Politics of Wartime Decisions | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 3174

David Axelrod, the longtime political consultant and commentator now serving as director of the UChicago Institute of Politics, has a unique perspective on civil-military relations. In 2004, Mr. Axelrod joined the U.S. Senate campaign of a young Illinois state senator named Barack Obama. Just four years later, he and his team of strategists orchestrated Mr. Obama’s historic campaign for the presidency. Then during the first two years of the administration, Mr. Axelrod served as a White House Senior Adviser, coordinating policy and communications -- where, among many other things, he observed the U.S. military and its role in a complex government.Mr. Axelrod joined Thomas and Nick for a special live episode before an audience of professors and graduate students at the Harris School of Public Policy. They discussed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, political considerations in the national security process, the sometimes-tense relationship between the Pentagon and the White House, and Mr. Axelrod’s role as a political adviser. Also discussed: the USS JOHN McCAIN controversy, President Obama’s Nobel Prize, and the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.This podcast is in no way intended to reflect the official positions of the Department of Defense or any other military entity.Podcast Production Credit:Thomas Krasnican, hostNick Paraiso, hostHaz Yano, producerJulian Lake, engineer and producerAishwarya Kumar, producerMary Martha Maclay, producerSpecial thanks to ret. Admiral Mike Mullen, Lieutenant Colonel Jim Golby, Captain Mike Robinson, Samantha Neal, the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, and to everyone at Harris who came out and supported this live taping!

 Michèle Flournoy on Civil-Military Relations at the Pentagon | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 2306

The Honorable Michèle Flournoy, one of the most accomplished national security professionals working in the United States today, served as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from 2009 to 2012 and co-founded the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). She is now the CEO of WestExec Advisors, where she helps make connections between the U.S. national security establishment and important industry partners. In this episode, Ms. Flournoy joins the podcast for a wide-ranging discussion of her career, the challenges of civilian leadership at the Pentagon, the military-industrial complex, and military politicization.Credits:Thomas Krasnican, hostNick Paraiso, hostHaz Yano, producerAlec MacMillen, engineerAishwarya Kumar, producerMary Martha Maclay, producerSpecial thanks to Lieutenant Alberto Ramos.This podcast is in no way intended to reflect the official positions of the Department of Defense or any other military entity.

 Phil Klay on America's Moral Contract With Its Servicemembers | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 2911

After serving as a Marine Corps public affairs officer in Iraq, Phil Klay won the 2014 National Book Award for Redeployment, his collection of short stories about the war. Widely recognized as one of the best writers of his generation, Phil has also published essays on the military and society in The Atlantic, The New Yorker, TIME, and many other outlets. In this episode, Phil joins the podcast for a discussion of his previous writing, the moral contract between America and its soldiers, and his upcoming novel.In the opening clip, Phil reads from his Brookings Essay “The citizen-soldier: Moral risk and the modern military,” available online at http://csweb.brookings.edu/content/research/essays/2016/the-citizen-soldier.html.This podcast is in no way intended to reflect the official positions of the Department of Defense or any other military entity.Credits:Thomas Krasnican, hostNick Paraiso, hostHaz Yano, engineer and producerAishwarya Kumar, producerMary Martha Maclay, producerDavid Raban, publisherSpecial thanks to Lieutenant Colonel Jim Golby.

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