Quote Originally Posted by TMG View Post
There may be another issue here—should any War on Terror veterans run for office while the war is still going on? (Not just those still on the reserve or guard roles but resigned/ retired active duty members as well) Is there a similar risk of damaging civil-military relations or the profession?
Good question. I would say yes, so long as they do it without politicizing the war and so long as their service was not a premeditated act to bolster their campaigns. The latter determination can only be judged with certainty by the candidates themselves. It underscores the need for the military to sustain and improve rigorous coaching of its leaders regarding how to make ethical decisions and to screen and weed out those unable or unwilling to do so.