Civ-Mil Symposium 2022

On 31 August 2022, the United States Military Academy at West Point hosted the “Stewarding the Profession” Symposium, part of the Academy’s annual theme, Called to Serve: Military Leadership in a Democratic Republic. The event convened civilian scholars, retired military leaders, former senior U.S. government officials, and West Point faculty to examine contemporary challenges in American civil-military relations. The Symposium featured three moderated panels addressing: (1) the fundamentals of civil-military relations, including the tensions between Executive and Congressional authority; (2) the distinction between nonpartisan and apolitical military service, the role of dissent in policymaking, and the knowledge and skills required to educate future officers; and (3) public trust in the military, its foundations, potential erosion, and societal implications. Concluding discussions focused on actionable recommendations for West Point and the broader military to strengthen civil-military relations. Participants engaged in non-attributional dialogue to encourage candid and collaborative exploration of these critical issues.