Military Reform Must Occur from the Inside Out

Sahil K. Mahtani’s column titled “The University Is a Drama Queen” (December 1) provides a refreshing perspective on the military’s relation to Harvard—or lack thereof. Like Mahtani, I certainly object to the military’s discriminatory policies and agree that they need reform, but breaking all ties with our nation’s system of defense is not the answer. It is much easier to change an organization from the inside out. If Harvard is not producing any substantial number of military recruits, then we have no stake in the governing of the armed forces. That is, they are unlikely to listen to us; they have no incentive to reform if it is only to satisfy those who are outside of the organization and pose no threat in the form of potential losses.

The fact of the matter is that, whether or not we support the current war, our country needs the armed forces. They will continue to operate with the dedication of young men and women who recognize the value of serving to protect their nation. I suspect this number of committed recruits far exceeds the number of distant Reserve Officers’ Training Corps boycotters, crying for change but not actually caring enough to take a stake in the organization and advocate for that change. To the military, our boycott is akin to innocuous child’s play.



DAWN J. MACKEY ’09

December 1, 2006