Last week, President-elect Joe Biden made an historic announcement to name Lloyd Austin as his nominee for the position of Secretary of Defense. This nomination is unique for two reasons: First, because Austin would be only the third retired ge

The Military and the Media

Dec 4th, 2020 33m 7s

The relationship between the military and the media is not always an easy one. But, without the news media, the American public would have a far narrower understanding of what our military is doing in our name. As difficult as it sometimes may

Thank Them For Their Service

Nov 13th, 2020 27m 20s

On this Veterans' Day/ post-election episode of Thank You For Your Service, we talk to Loren DeJonge Schulman about the draft and the civilian national security workforce. Then Alice and Jim discuss the personnel churn at DoD and what the chang

The Military and the Election

Oct 30th, 2020 34m 38s

Whether we like it or not, the military's role in the election has become a topic of conversation this year. But military involvement in the election could mean a lot of things -- absentee voting by service members, veterans running for office,

Race and the Military

Oct 16th, 2020 31m 29s

The U.S. military has struggled with racism throughout its history. This week, Alice and Jim talk to active duty military personnel, veterans, and a civilian expert about race, bias, and discrimination in the armed forces. Guests Bishop Garriso

The American History of Vietghanistan, Part 2

Oct 2nd, 2020 28m 37s

The war stories we tell both reflect and shape the relationship between American society and its military. In the second of two episodes, Alice and Jim explore how the stories Vietnam veterans told about their war have shaped America's experien

Inside the Outpost

Sep 25th, 2020 52m 14s

On an early October morning in 2009, an overwhelming force of Taliban fighters attacked a small unit of U.S. soldiers located at Combat Outpost Keating in a remote valley in Afghanistan's Nuristan province. Drawing on source material from Jake

The American History of Vietghanistan, Part I

Sep 4th, 2020 27m 34s

Almost immediately after the American invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001, people started to wonder if we were getting ourselves into another Vietnam. Eighteen years later, victory in Afghanistan remains elusive and questions about the limi

The Military Online ... and in Public View

Aug 21st, 2020 26m 34s

As America's volunteer force continues to grow smaller, fewer civilians have contact with the military in their daily lives. But many civilians are interacting with service members in the one place they both are: online. Alice and Jim talk with

The Civ-Mil of Space Force

Aug 14th, 2020 22m 59s

Alice and Jim promised to give you their thoughts on the Space Force TV series, and here they are in a special bonus episode. Spoilers everywhere! But really, if you listen to this podcast and you haven't seen Space Force yet, it's time you cau

War by Other Means

Aug 7th, 2020 21m 50s

This episode tackles a big, important, and sensitive topic: the military and politics. How should we think about the military's role in domestic politics? What does partisan polarization mean for the U.S. military? Can military families get inv

Under Control

Jul 24th, 2020 20m 44s

What does it mean for the military to be under civilian control? Jim and Alice talk about obedience, loyalty, and subordination with ethicist Dr. Pauline Shanks Kaurin, author of "On Obedience." Then they catch up with former Chairman of the Jo

Bonus

The Civ-Mil of Hamilton

Jul 17th, 2020 29m 56s

You may not think of civil-military relations when you think about the hit musical, but civ-mil themes are all over Hamilton. In this special bonus episode, Alice and Jim talk to Hamilton superfans and national security practitioners Shannon Cu

What is a Legacy?

Jul 10th, 2020 18m 57s

How have the post-9/11 wars affected America's relationship with the military, and the military's relationship with America? In our War Storytellers segment, we talk to novelist Elliot Ackerman and poet Olivia Garard. Then we hear from Dr. Mara

On Service

Jun 26th, 2020 20m 23s

What is service? Is military service more valuable or more noble than other kinds of national and community service? Who serves, and why? Jim and Alice explore these questions and more with guests Janine Davidson, Shawn Skelly, and Amy Schafer.

The State of the Union

Jun 12th, 2020 29m 7s

In our first episode with new co-hosts Alice Friend and Jim Golby, we provide an overview of the podcast and give you a sneak preview of future guests. We also debate the state of civil-military relations, including the implications of the use

Hail and Farewell! The Future of TYFYS Podcast

Mar 16th, 2020 31m 56s

This is the last episode of Thank You For Your Service co-hosted by Thomas and Nick, who are leaving UChicago and moving on with their Navy careers. After this, TYFYS will join the podcast network at the Center for Strategic and International S

Dr. Risa Brooks on the Theory and Paradoxes of Civil-Military Relations

Mar 9th, 2020 52m 57s

Ever since Samuel Huntington wrote The Soldier and the State in 1957, his theory on objective civilian control of the military has had a profound influence on American civil-military relations. Over the course of this podcast series, we’ve expl

Women in the Military: Myths and Realities

Feb 26th, 2020 41m 20s

How have the roles of women in the military changed over time? What progress has been made towards more inclusive and diverse environments in the armed forces? Lyla Kohistany joins this episode to give her take. Lyla is a U.S. Navy veteran, h

Who Serves: Military Demographics in 2020

Feb 12th, 2020 25m 46s

Despite popular stereotypes, the best predictor of whether someone will join the armed forces is not race or economic class. According to New York Times national correspondent Dave Philipps, it’s familiarity with the military – knowing someone

Phil Klay on "The Soldiers We Leave Behind"

Jan 22nd, 2020 33m 21s

What does it mean to be an American? Phil Klay, a former Marine and critically acclaimed writer, returns to the podcast to discuss the connection between military service, citizenship, and “Americanness.” Elaborating on his November 2019 New

Congressman Tom Rooney on Military Justice and Presidential Pardons

Nov 27th, 2019 44m 27s

Why does the military have a justice system distinct from the civilian justice system? And what are the implications of having separate forms of accountability?Former Republican Congressman Tom Rooney joins TYFYS to give his take. Congressman

Why We Join: Thoughts on Military Recruitment

Nov 11th, 2019 36m 34s

“Thank You For Your Service” is back. In Season 2, we’ll be taking a hard look at how the military institution interacts with American social issues and social change: race, gender, LGBT issues. We’ll address questions like: Who joins the milit

Inside the Pentagon with Sec. Mattis’s Former Chief Speechwriter

Nov 6th, 2019 44m 4s

Recently retired Navy commander Guy “Bus” Snodgrass served as chief speechwriter to Secretary James Mattis for most of his tenure as Secretary of Defense. Snodgrass has recently published a book, Holding the Line: Inside Trump’s Pentagon with S

Beyond America: Civil-Military Relations Around the World

Sep 25th, 2019 51m 7s

Dr. Paul Staniland and Dr. Austin Carson, political science professors at the University of Chicago, join the podcast to discuss how studying international civil-military relations can shed light on American civ-mil – and how the challenges of