From Boston Review, Jeff McMahan on the moral responsibility of volunteer soldiers: Traditional just war theory has it wrong — soldiers are morally culpable for fighting in unjust wars, and thus deserve the option of selective conscientious objection (and a series of responses). David M. Kennedy's The Modern American Military reveals the trade-offs we've made for our super-efficient, all-volunteer forces. Uncle Sam wants who? Rosa Brooks on the real reasons people join the military. Stop saying “support the troops”: Steven Salaita on how compulsory patriotism does nothing for soldiers who risk their lives — but props up those who profit from war. Rachel Maddow reviews Breach of Trust: How Americans Failed Their Soldiers and Their Country by Andrew J. Bacevich. Katherine Rowland interviews David Finkel on PTSD, the difficulties of returning home from the front lines, and the “haphazard system” of care available to Americans veterans. Laura Kasinof on women, war, and PTSD: Are female warriors more likely to be traumatized by combat? The Army should use photos of “average-looking women” when it needs to illustrate stories about female soldiers — images of women who are too pretty undermine the communications strategy about introducing them into combat roles. A hypermasculine ethos that fosters predation: Sara Sorcher on how the military's “bro” culture turns women into targets. Erika Eichelberger on the fight over how to stop military sexual assault, explained (and more and more). A study finds military children and their families remain an invisible subculture.
