Life in the U.S. Armed Forces

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Life in the U.S. Armed Forces (Not) Just Another Job

Anni Baker

Book Code: C8982

ISBN: 0-275-98982-8

ISBN-13: 978-0-275-98982-8

DOI:

264 pages, tables

Praeger Security International General Interest-Cloth

Publication: 12/30/2007

List Price: $39.95 (UK Sterling Price: £22.95)

Availability: In Stock

Media Type: Hardcover

Trim Size: 6 1/8 x 9 1/4

Subjects:

Reviews:

Historian Baker offers an extensive and supportive discussion of life in the military from "recruitment to retirement." Within this survey, she describes a variety of military and civil-military issues, offering historical insight into the changing face of the armed forces, especially during the 35 years of the All Volunteer Force (AVF). Two important changes that have affected civil-military relations are a decrease in understanding the military by the majority of citizens, and the absence of military service by elected representatives. Baker chronicles the benefits and concerns of conscription and the AVF, the implications for civil-military relations due to increasingly sophisticated equipment and weaponry, enlisted and officer training, career paths and expectations, as well as male and female roles. She also notes the increased importance of family services as the military has become a married force. Despite a large citation list, the author fails to note some important works. This work will serve as a strong introduction to understanding the US military, but the absence of a discussion of the potential for a garrison state is significant, especially in light of September 11, 2001. Recommended. Undergraduates and above.
—Choice November 2008

Description: Anni Baker has created a fascinating exploration of life in the armed forces, as it has been experienced by millions of men, women, and children over the past six decades. Her book examines the factors that shape military service and military culture, from grueling training exercises to sexual relations with local women, from overseas duty to the peculiar life of the military "brat." The book begins with an examination of the enlistment process, follows the military lifecycle through career decisions, promotions, raising families, and retirement, explores the impact of war on military society, and ends with a discussion of the place of the armed forces in the United States. A wide variety of sources were used in this study, including contemporary scholarship, government and military records, public media, and, most important, interviews and written materials from military personnel, retirees, family members, and civilian employees. Using a lively and readable style, Baker blends clear explanations of elements of military life, information on the development of military society, and the voices of those who serve into an insightful account of this fascinating subculture. It is the author's view that not only is study of the U.S. military a valuable undertaking in itself, but in addition it will enrich our perspective on civilian life and culture in the United States. The military is a distinct society based on a set of common values that are sometimes, though not always, at odds with those of civilian society. The extent to which active duty personnel, family members and civilians internalize these values dictates their comfort with military life and their choice of a military career. Through a discussion of life in the military, Baker examines how the values, traditions and norms of the armed forces are articulated and shared, how they influence the individual and the institution, and what their role is in American society as a whole.

LC Card Number: 2007034148

LCC Class: U21

Dewey Class: 355

PDF Catalogs:
PSI Public Library Spring 2008.pdf	PSI Catalog Fall 2008.pdf


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