The Rise of the Military Welfare State: Harvard University Press

This study of US military benefits “offers a disturbing view of the armed forces as a high-value target in political clashes over public assistance” (The Nation). Since the end of the draft, the U.S. Army has prided itself on its patriotic volunteers who heed the call to “Be All That You Can Be.” But beneath the recruitment slogans, the army promised volunteers something more tangible: a social safety net including medical care, education, housing assistance, legal services, and other privileges that had long been reserved for career soldiers. The Rise of the Military Welfare State examines how the U.S. Army’s extension of benefits to enlisted men and women created a military welfare system of unprecedented size and scope. In the 1970s, widespread opposition to the draft led to the establishment of America’s all-volunteer army. For this to succeed, a new strategy was needed for attracting and retaining soldiers. The army solved the problem, Jennifer Mittelstadt shows, by promising to take care of its own. While the United States dismantled its civilian welfare system in the 1980s and 1990s, army benefits continued to expand. Mittelstadt also examines how critics of this expansion fought to roll back its signature achievements, even as a new era of war began. Since The End Of The Draft, The U.s. Army Has Prided Itself On Its Patriotic Volunteers Who Heed The Call To Be All That You Can Be. But Beneath The Recruitment Slogans, The Army Promised Volunteers Something More Tangible: A Social Safety Net Including Medical And Dental Care, Education, Child Care, Financial Counseling, Housing Assistance, Legal Services, And Other Privileges That Had Long Been Reserved For Career Soldiers. The Rise Of The Military Welfare State Examines How The U.s. Army's Extension Of Benefits To Enlisted Men And Women Created A Military Welfare System Of Unprecedented Size And Scope. America's All-volunteer Army Took Shape In The 1970s, In The Wake Of Widespread Opposition To The Draft. Abandoning Compulsory Conscription, It Wrestled With How To Attract And Retain Soldiers - A Task Made More Difficult By The Military's Plummeting Prestige After Vietnam. The Army Solved The Problem, Jennifer Mittelstadt Shows, By Promising To Take Care Of Its Own - The More Than Ten Million Americans Who Volunteered For Active Duty After 1973 And Their Families. While The United States Dismantled Its Civilian Welfare System In The 1980s And 1990s, Army Benefits Continued To Expand. Yet Not Everyone Was Pleased By Programs That, In Their View, Encouraged Dependency, Infantilized Soldiers, And Feminized The Institution. Fighting To Outsource And Privatize The Army's Socialist System And To Reinforce Self-reliance Among American Soldiers, Opponents Rolled Back Some Of The Military Welfare State's Signature Achievements, Even As A New Era Of War Began. -- From Dust Jacket. Introduction: The Army Takes Care Of Its Own -- Army Benefits In A Free Market Era -- Is Military Service A Job? -- The Threat Of A Social Welfare Institution -- Supporting The Military In Reagan's America -- Army Wives Demand Support -- Securing Christian Family Values -- A Turn To Self-reliance -- Outsourcing Solider And Family Support -- Epilogue: Army Welfare At War In The Twenty-first Century. Jennifer Mittelstadt. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents Introduction: The Army Takes Care of Its Own 1. Army Benefits in a Free Market Era 2. Is Military Service a Job? 3. The Threat of a Social Welfare Institution 4. Supporting the Military in Reagan’s America 5. Army Wives Demand Support 6. Securing Christian Family Values 7. A Turn to Self-Reliance 8. Outsourcing Soldier and Family Support Epilogue: Army Welfare at War in the Twenty-First Century Appendix Abbreviations Notes Acknowledgments Index

After Vietnam the army promised its all-volunteer force a safety net long reserved for career soldiers: medical and dental care, education, child care, financial counseling, housing assistance, legal services. Jennifer Mittelstadt shows how this unprecedented military welfare system expanded at a time when civilian programs were being dismantled.