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An Optimist's Guide to Serving While Away for the Holidays

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AMU-degree-during-deploymentBy Craig Gilman
Faculty Member at American Military University

For all the right reasons, you decided to serve your country and volunteered for the armed forces. When you signed, despite your modesty, on those public holidays such as Independence Day and Veterans Day you enjoy flags flying, bands playing, picnics and parades and perhaps even a friendly “thanks for your service.” Sharing these moments with family and friends is rewarding. You are perfectly justified in a moment of pride for your service. You deserve all this and more. Life is good.

But serving isn’t all parades and picnics. If the anxiety and hassles of deployment or even temporary duty separation from loved ones is difficult, how will you feel during the holidays? How will they feel? Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, how did it feel being miles from that feast with family or missing that traditional backyard game of football with neighborhood friends? How can you possibly honor Hanukkah sitting in a ready room where the closest thing to a dreidel is a half-empty TicTac box (orange)? How excited are you to know you will be on the duty desk Christmas Day while half a world away your spouse and children are opening the presents you hope got there on time? Let’s face it; it is a bit depressing sometimes. Be prepared for this.

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The Challenge of Defining Terrorism Around the World

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What exactly is terrorism? Those familiar with the study of terrorism know that there is not a universally accepted definition. However, there are many similarities in most accepted definitions. AMU intelligence studies professor Dr. James Hess discusses how the United Nations and United States define terrorism and the key differences between these definitions.

Military Deployment for Civilian Policing: How an Old Law Impacts Response

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The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 limits the use and participation of the military in policing the civilian population. As with any law, this act has both supporters and opponents. Those who support this legislation argue it’s essential in helping limit potential federal abuses of power. Opponents believe this act has fully outlived its usefulness in the post-9/11 world and should be abolished. Here’s why this act needs to be updated.