This is the podcast of WAR ROOM, the official online journal of the U.S. Army War College. Join us for provocative discussions about U.S. national security and defense, featuring prominent national security and military professionals.
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episode 400: THE DRAFT'S END AND THE TOTAL VOLUNTEER FORCE'S BEGINNING
The U.S. Department of Defense underwent several significant changes in 1973. First, the law that empowered the draft expired when Congress didn't extend it, and the all-volunteer force (AVF) was born. Second, Secretary of Defense James R. Schlesinger initiated "the Total Force Policy which integrates the active, Guard, and Reserve forces into a homogeneous whole.” Lindsay Cohn is in the studio to discuss the impact these force management changes have had on civil-military relations. She joins guest host Carrie Lee to consider how eliminating the draft and expanding the reserve component changed how the military interacted with the citizens of the nation. This is the fourth episode in a multi-part special series supporting the U.S. Army War College’s Civil-Military Relations Center.