Survey of Post-9/11 Military Officers’ Views on Global Engagement

On July 15, 2008, the Center for U.S. Global Engagement released the results of a new poll of active duty and recently retired (post-9/11) military officers and their views on the challenges facing America in the next four years and the tools needed to meet those challenges.  As the Center’s bipartisan polling team of Geoff Garin (Peter D. Hart Research Associates) and Bill McInturff (Public Opinion Strategies) wrote in their memo on the poll results, “A significant majority of officers surveyed embrace a new paradigm in which strengthened diplomacy and development assistance are important companions to traditional military tools for achieving America’s national security goals. … Eighty-four percent (84%) of officers say that strengthening non-military tools such as diplomacy and development efforts should be at least equal to strengthening military efforts when it comes to improving America’s ability to address threats to our national security.”  Participating in the media briefing on the poll results were the two pollsters, Center Executive Director Liz Schrayer, and General Gregory Newbold, USMC (Ret.), the former Director of Operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2000-2002).  Click here for the powerpoint presentation used at the briefing.