The Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics (LAIC) at the Annenberg Public Policy Center has expanded its civics education mission to reach members of the U.S. armed forces through a new video series on civics produced by the American Bar Association (ABA).
The series, “Strengthening Democracy: A Civics Education Series for Military Members,” features three sets of short educational videos on military legal concepts from the role of the chain of command in protecting the rule of law to the limits on the domestic use of the military and why these are important.
The video series was produced by the ABA Division for Public Education in collaboration with ABA’s Standing Committee on Law and National Security. The ABA Division for Public Education is a partner in the Civics Renewal Network (CRN), an alliance of nearly 50 nonprofit, nonpartisan organizations that offer high-quality, no-cost civics education resources online. The network is another signature LAIC program at the Annenberg Public Policy Center.
Andrea (Ang) Reidell, director of outreach and curriculum at LAIC, said, “I commend the ABA for taking on this important project and creating an easily accessible video series that can help teach members of our military, as well as teachers and students nationally, about essential aspects of the United States Constitution and the rule of law as it relates to the military.”
Harvey Rishikof, former dean of the National War College and leading member of the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security, led the recruitment of participants and framing of the topics. “Our democracy thrives,” Rishikof said, “when its citizens are well-informed, engaged, and understand the democratic process. By fostering robust civic education within the military ranks, we reaffirm our dedication to our principles and to the defense of our nation.”
Experts interviewed for the three-part series include Judge James “Jamie” Baker, director of the Syracuse Institute for Security Policy and Law, addressing military law and the Constitution; Professor William Banks, professor emeritus of public administration and international affairs at Syracuse University, on domestic use of the military; and Lt. Gen. Larry Jordan, retired, Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, on military values and education.
The ABA’s discussion guide to the videos includes a series of thought-provoking questions, for example:
- What did George Washington say was the difference between a professional military and an armed mob? Why is that important?
- When does a military officer have a duty to resign?
- What is the Posse Comitatus Act?
- Why did President Eisenhower and President Kennedy federalize the national guard in the late 1950s and early 1960s?
The video series, which “aims to improve the civic knowledge of active service members of the military,” was sponsored by LAIC through its Civic Mission of the Nation initiative. Since 2022, this initiative has presented awards to organizations to develop civics education resources for adults, focusing on those who are enrolled in community college, are part of the business community, or are members of the armed forces. The ABA Division for Public Education was one of four award recipients in 2022.
