The Evolution of U.S. Military Policy from the Constitution to the Present2017
by Gian Gentile
"The laws that govern the U.S. Army have changed little since 1940. These laws have become so familiar that many may assume they constitute a 'traditional' U.S. military policy, emanating from the Constitution's division of federal and state powers. Drawing on a RAND study of the history of the U.S. Army and the evolution of laws that authorize, empower, and govern it, the authors of this report show that the current set of foundational laws for the Army were not an inevitable interpretation of the 'raise and support armies' or 'militia' clauses of the Constitution. Rather, U.S. military policy has evolved over time through changes in statutory law. These laws emerged from long-standing debates over the role of civilian-soldiers, the necessity of a standing professional force (i.e., the...