Book on class disconnect in American society

[Ironhorse]

New book I just stumbled across, AWOL : The Unexcused Absence of America's Upper Classes from Military Service -- and How It Hurts Our Country, may be another interesting take on an issue we all know and love – the current under-representation of the “elite” in the military (vs. e.g. stronger showing in WWII).

Has anyone read it? If not, any thoughts just on the premise?

From its “how it hurts the country” tagline, I presume it goes on to address what it means. The disconnect is harmful to the integration of all the instruments of national power in the execution of our foreign policy and national security strategy.

Below seen on a mailing list, and posted here with permission of the author, Kathy Roth-Douquet.

Some of you may remember I asked for help about a year ago on a book I was writing about the disconnect between the military and the professional/academic/opinion-making classes. Many of you did help, and are quoted in that book, titled "AWOL: The Unexcused Absence of America's Upper Classes from Military Service - And How It Hurts the Country" (coauthored by Frank Schaeffer, Collins Books/HarperCollins), released this month.

The title alone stirs up much controversy, most of which is addressed in the book - what do we mean by "upper classes," does this disconnect really exist, does it matter if it does? We use the current academic research and survey work on these subjects, some historical analysis, and many anectdotes, our own and others, to tell the story. I'm a Bryn Mawr and Princeton (WWS) alum, former Clinton White House staffer, married to a Marine officer, my co-auther is a filmmaker and best-selling novelist whose son enlisted.

Our forward is by Tommy Franks, cover blurbs by Sen John McCain, Tom Brokaw, Les Palm, and Mike O'Hanlon of Brookings. Publisher's weekly calls AWOL "a convincing, impassioned manifesto." We will be on the Today Show, Bill O'Reilly, Diane Rehm and Hardball, scheduled so far.

More information is at my website: www.roth-douquet.com. There is more information, and a sample chapter there.

Respectfully,
Kathy Roth-Douquet