An American tradition of distrust of large standing militaries, along with today’s all-volunteer force, which cuts citizens off from the direct link with serving military members most had in the days of conscription, means the gap between the civilian and military worlds must be bridged. Simple steps such as integrating Servicemembers into surrounding communities through membership in community organizations, or inviting civilians on post for open houses and bringing ROTC back to high schools and campuses, would revive the Founders’ concept of the citizen-soldier and mainstream Americans in uniform interacting with those they defend. Both sides would benefit from enhanced civil-military relations, and national security aims would be better served by a populace that understands and supports its military.