CHICAGO, Feb. 24, 2025 — The American Bar Association, with generous support from the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics at the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, has produced a new civic education video series to reach members of the U.S. armed forces. As part of LAIC’s mission to facilitate civics knowledge among adults as well as K-12 audiences, the program partnered with the ABA Division for Public Education and the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security to produce the series.
The series, “Strengthening Democracy: A Civics Education Series for Military Members,” features:
- “Military Law and the Constitution” highlights the role of the military in a constitutional democracy and features Judge James “Jamie” Baker, director, Syracuse Institute for Security Policy and Law.
- “Domestic Use of the Military” covers the history and law around the use of the military in domestic pursuits. William Banks, professor emeritus of public administration and international affairs, board of advisors distinguished professor at Syracuse University, is interviewed.
- “Military Values and Education” reiterates the foundation of what shapes the duties of members of the military. Retired Lt. Gen. Larry Jordan, deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, is interviewed.
“Our democracy thrives when its citizens are well-informed, engaged and understand the democratic process,” said Harvey Rishikof, former dean of the National War College and leading member of the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security. “By fostering robust civic education within the military ranks, we reaffirm our dedication to our principles and to the defense of our nation.”
“I commend the ABA for taking on this important project and creating an easily accessible video series that can help teach members of our military, as well as teachers and students nationally, about essential aspects of the United States Constitution and the rule of law as it relates to the military,” said Andrea Reidell, director of outreach and curriculum at LAIC.
The video series comes with an accompanying discussion guide for each episode, which aims to improve the civic knowledge of active service members. The guide was developed to help people engage in thoughtful conversation about difficult questions related to the role of the military in a constitutional democracy. It reviews terms and concepts from the video, lists discussion questions and offers additional resources.
The ABA Division for Public Education is a partner in the Civics Renewal Network (CRN), an alliance of nearly 50 nonprofit, nonpartisan organizations that offer high-quality, no-cost civics education resources online. The network is another signature LAIC program. The Standing Committee on Law and National Security has a commitment to educating the Bar and the public on the importance of the rule of law in preserving the freedoms of democracy and our national security. The mission of the Division for Public Education is to advance public understanding of law, the legal system, and the rule of law.
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