"The US military profession in the new security era is faced with a paramount problem: how to reconcile military professional ethos and raison d'etre with the new forces challenging the traditional notion of military professionalism. These new forces can be grouped into two categories: American society and the military; and the utility of military force in the changing international environment.". "The US military faces a dilemma: how to respond to changed domestic and strategic landscapes without diminishing its primary function. This volume examines this pressing dilemma and proposes that the military profession adopt a policy of constructive political engagement. Although the military profession is not the only actor engaging in shaping and affecting these matters, it is the critical actor. Focusing on the two major categories outlined above, this study looks at a number of elements ranging from the characteristics of the military profession, civilian and military cultures, civil-military relations, to conflict characteristics and US strategy, the operational parameters of military force and the revolution in military affairs."--BOOK JACKET.