ALLIES is an undergraduate led initiative that creates a bridge for shared understanding between future military and civilian leaders. ALLIES provides a forum for undergraduate students to discuss current civil-military issues through a variety of initiatives involving chapters from the service academies and civilian institutions.
Though prominent political figures have expressed the need for stronger civil-military cooperation, educational, institutional, and cultural challenges continue to present challenges to dialogue between the civilian and military sectors. ALLIES was founded to improve this dialogue, through mutual exposure and education. The group aims to provide a framework of civil-military relations through which students can explore important topics at a depth unusual at the undergraduate. The overall goal of ALLIES is to create a new generation of informed civilian and military leaders ready to tackle 21st century challenges in an integrated, collaborative manner. ALLIES students develop an understanding of both civilian and military perspectives and approaches, while creating relationships that will last through entire careers.
Since its founding in the spring of 2006, ALLIES has been committed to provide and facilitate opportunities for civilian and military undergraduate students to meet face to face and discuss issues of mutual interest. In fulfillment of this purpose ALLIES hosts a number of programs throughout the year. The two chief annual events are the Intellectual Roundtable and the Joint Research Project. The Intellectual Roundtable, held traditionally in the fall, comprises a multi-day conference attended by civilian and military students, military officers, government officials, academicians, and other knowledgeable practitioners, giving students and professionals the opportunity to discuss important issues in an intimate setting. The Joint Research Project is a summer research trip planned and conducted by students from civilian and military universities, accompanied by experienced faculty mentors. In addition to these two chief programs, ALLIES hosts weekly meetings at each chapter to discuss current civil-military topics, as well as hosting and sending delegations to numerous other events at various institutions.
Civilian participation is both to making military operations successful and to relieving stress on the men and women of our armed services… Indeed, having robust civilian capabilities available could make it less likely that military force will have to be used in the first place.
- Secretary Gates, Kansas State University, 26 Nov 2007
The diplomacy of the 21st century requires better ‘jointness’ too between our soldiers and our civilians … I want American diplomats to eagerly seek our assignments working side-by-side with our men and women in uniform, whether it is in disaster relief in Pakistan or in stabilization missions in Liberia or fighting the illegal drug trade in Latin America.
- Secretary Rice, Georgetown University, 18 Jan 2006