The role of the military in citizen diplomacy

Since citizen diplomacy is the shaping of foreign relations through people to people interactions and engagement both in the US and abroad, there are few that engage in this on a daily basis more than our military men and women.

At first it sounds a bit contradictory. Can military activity be considered diplomacy? In one aspect, conventional warfare probably isn't the flagship example of effective diplomacy. But in other aspects, conventional warfare is mostly a thing of the past and those serving in uniform are engaging with local populations and developing relationships, especially on matters effecting the local population. Relationship building is paramount to the success of the operations being carried out and researching local populations' culture, language, and daily lives brings about greater understanding and opportunity for a solid platform of trust and mutual respect.

In the video you can learn more about how the military plays a role in championing citizen diplomacy while serving abroad.

Citizen Diplomacy and the Role of the Military: