Introduction

This chapter explores the intersection of the military and American society, as well as Congress's critical role in the development and support of the institution of the military. Congress has great power to affect the organization of the military through legislation, and everything the military owns is funded by Congress. The US Department of Defense is among the largest bureaucracies in the world. Employing over two million service members and civilian personnel, it is the largest employer in the United States. In theory, the president—as head of the Executive Branch of the US Government—has near-total control over the priorities, and overseas deployment of the US military. If the president commands the Department of Defense to take on a new priority or a new mission, that presidential order should, in theory, be carried out. The military has an independent base of support in the United States, and there are many ways in which the military can insulate itself from political influence.