February 2010. Just past a new year. Still in the beginning of a new decade. And, more importantly, not too late for a few resolutions: floss, avoid pizza, get fit, remember the war.
What? Is that last one not on your list?
You're not the only one: Welcome to America. This is where you can attend a school that is known for its active citizenship and International Relations Program and yet doesn't properly respect Veterans Day. This is a nation where reminders that we are at war are few and far between, making it difficult to process that yes, hundreds of thousands of American citizens are fighting in dangerous regions around the world. As military correspondent and author Thomas E. Ricks describes in his recent book, "The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq" (2009), wars have become "the national wallpaper -- always kind of there but not particularly noticed." Does the fault for this lie in topical fatigue? In the out-of-touch media? In a lack of confidence in the war's purpose? Or in the lack of direct contact to the war's consequences?
In certain ways, the answers to questions like these justify the national lethargy. From pop stars to Barbie dolls to humanitarian crises to military initiatives, the public has shown a tendency to stay focused on a topic for a finite amount of time; a departure from this time limit would be a contrast to the norm. And yes, there are absolutely times when the media seems to favor a scandalous cultural development over news on our military's missions overseas.
As a result, it is incredibly easy to erase the military from our consciousness, even with the value that American society places on future security. However, it is imperative that we make an effort to invest ourselves in learning about their current affairs. There are three important reasons for this: a responsibility to our government, a responsibility as a Tufts student and a responsibility to prepare for an uncertain future.
The term active citizenship is usually associated with actions like recycling and volunteering, but it should also be interpreted as a responsibility to keep our congressmen informed on their constituents' perspectives. The government has no ability to listen to us unless we make ourselves heard; it has no incentive to consider our points unless we show that we care about the decisions they make. Educate yourself on the conflicts in which we're involved in order to form solid opinions. Contact your representative, your senator, the president -- show them that American civilians are paying attention to how they're guiding our military through war. And do not think that an individual's input does not count: The more people who share their perspectives with their congressmen, the more these congressmen will feel comfortable in taking a strong position as representative of their constituents.
Inasmuch as the efficacy of our republic is enough of a motivation for self-education for some, personal motivations exist as well. With establishments like the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and the Institute for Global Leadership, Tufts is a school known for its international orientation. No matter whether your major is in international relations, civil engineering or philosophy, people you meet will expect you, a Jumbo, to possess a measure of awareness about the international community. No one wants to be caught flat-footed, and efforts to prevent such a vulnerable position require recognition that militaries and their wars are central to international dynamics. All one has to do is to look at the Introduction to International Relations syllabus to realize how central wars are to global interactions; as a whole, they are the most notable stimulus for major change in international relations.
With the complex wars of today's world, major changes are taking place even as you read this piece. Even without these changes, the working world into which many of us will soon enter is difficult to make sense of, and the new developments, by no means completely positive, make our entrance that much more frightening. In light of the obstacles we will surely encounter, it is prudent to give yourself as much of a head start as possible. Who knows what the world will look like in the coming decades; with the current trends of globalization, no career is immune to developments in the international arena. It will be increasingly important to be sensitive to other cultures, to be knowledgeable about nations' interactions through history, and to represent the United States in a way that improves our reputation abroad. Given that these three responsibilities are founded in part on the roles and actions of militaries, their fulfillment will be aided tremendously in learning more about our wars and armed forces.
There are many more reasons why civilians should involve themselves in military affairs. No matter how many you are exposed to, though, translating an abstract aim into tangible results requires personal initiative. This translation is in only your control. For the competitive readers out there, though, here's a challenge for the year, a challenge for the decade: keep the war in mind, and keep the war in your study schedule.
Don't know how to start? Joining the Alliance Linking Leaders in Education and the Services (ALLIES) is an easy beginning. Founded in Spring 2006, ALLIES works to bridge the civil-military gap by hosting speakers, holding conferences, building partnerships with U.S. service academies and constructing military simulations. Check out ALLIES at the activity fair on Feb. 10.
However, joining ALLIES is not your only route to becoming a more active citizen in the military sector. Volunteer for the United Service Organizations. Give your time to your local U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs office. Keep up with the news. Continue to inform your congressmen on your views and what you want to see in our government's plans.
Get to know the conflict that will see many more new years and many new decades.
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Rachel Baras is a freshman who has not yet declared a major. Mae Humiston is a freshman who has not yet declared a major. They are both members of the ALLIES initiative.
