Military service provides unique education and experience opportunities not readily available elsewhere, a key selling point for recruiting an all-volunteer force. But do those experiences that make service members valuable in the military translate to success in political service? This is one of the questions Danielle Lupton explores in her research and book, Reputation for Resolve. She joins host Carrie Lee to discuss the role of reputation in international politics and the impact of veterans in politics, Congress, and even the White House. It’s the latest episode in our Civil-Military Relations Center speaker series.
When you think about a military veteran running for office, what does that person look like? What does their record look like? Off the very top of your head, what does that person look like?
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Danielle L. Lupton is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Colgate University and co-editor of International Studies Perspectives. Her research specialties include international security, US foreign policy, and civil-military relations. She is the author of Reputation for Resolve: How Leaders Signal Determination in International Politics (Cornell University Press, 2020). Her research has been published in journals such as the American Political Science Review, International Studies Quarterly, Political Analysis, Security Studies, Political Research Quarterly, and the Journal of Global Security Studies, among other outlets.
Carrie A. Lee is an associate professor at the U.S. Army War College, where she serves as the chair of the Department of National Security and Strategy and director of the USAWC Center on Civil-Military Relations. She received her Ph.D. in political science from Stanford University and a B.S. from MIT.
The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense.
Photo Credit: Gemini AI
Two, possibly very related, topics: (1) Military veterans running for office. And. (2) Reputations for resolve.
As to these such, possibly very related topics, could the perception that military veterans have a greater degree of resolve, and indeed a “reputation for resolve,” could this have effected, and indeed still effect, voter decisions?
Herein, many/most/all non-veterans not being seen is such “reputation for resolve” terms; which, in the veterans case, specifically meant/may have meant placing his/her very life on the line. (Thus, “resolve” on steroids?)”
Thus, while the veteran has “picked up a weapon and stood to post” (resolve on steroids?) the non-veteran has not done anything — resolve-wise — that is actually comparable?
From the perspective that I offer above, as to the questions posed/printed at the introduction to this podcast, above, to wit: “When you think about a military veteran running for office, what does that person look like? What does their record look like? Off the very top of your head, what does that person look like?” As to these such questions I would answer, “Someone who wishes to use their military service — and thus their unique reputation and record for resolve and reliability — to help further his/her post-military career in politics.”