--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Policy makers who have never served in…" description: "\"Policy makers who have never served in the military continue to use the military to lead social change in this country.\" — Jim Mattis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/jim-mattis-7799_change_policy-makers-who-have-never-served-in-t_2505308.jpg" --- # Policy makers who have never served in the military… ![“Policy makers who have never served in the military continue to use the military to lead social change in this country.” quote by Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/jim-mattis-7799_change_policy-makers-who-have-never-served-in-t_2505308.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/jim-mattis-7799_change_policy-makers-who-have-never-served-in-t_2505308.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/jim-mattis-7799_change_policy-makers-who-have-never-served-in-t_2505308.jpg) > “Policy makers who have never served in the military continue to use the military to lead social change in this country.” [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Civil leaders lacking military experience may misuse armed forces for social agendas, risking misalignment with true defense needs. **In simple terms:** Non‑military leaders may misuse military. Key Takeaway Ensure proper civilian‑military balance. Themes politics military leadership Mood critical cautious Type political policy When to use this quote - government - social reform Key Concepts civil‑military relations policy misuse Questions to Reflect On - How can civilian leaders responsibly use military resources? - What safeguards prevent misuse? A Different Perspective Military expertise is not the sole factor in policy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Continue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/continue/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Military Continue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military-continue-1101774/) [Military Lead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military-lead-1101776/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Policy makers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy-makers/) [Social change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-change/) [Use Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-military-1101775/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing changes my twenty-six years in the military. I continue to love it and everything it stands for and everything I was able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-changes-my-twenty-six-years-in-the-military-i-continue-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The military lead turbulent lives, but they are people like everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-westmoreland/the-military-lead-turbulent-lives-but-they-are-people-like-everybody/) [William Westmoreland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-westmoreland/) > [We don't have any intention whatsoever to use military force to solve the Palestinian problem. 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We are waging war in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-schily/we-can-no-longer-apply-the-classic-criteria-to-clearly-determine/) [Otto Schily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-schily/) > [I am an Air Force brat - that's the terminology they use for military kids who are traveling constantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-an-air-force-brat-that-s-the-terminology-they-use-for-military/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't think we need to have an either/or debate about the use of military force - I think you can be both tough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-don-t-think-we-need-to-have-an-either-or-debate-about-the-use-of/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [ I would be so happy if we never had to use \[military\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-would-be-so-happy-if-we-never-had-to-use-military/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The U.S. can no longer be the sheriff for the whole world. 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Or have it so strong that nobody is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-am-the-most-militaristic-person-but-you-have-to-know-when-to-use/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Any time you use military force, you have got to have a clear purpose that military forces can achieve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-n-haass/any-time-you-use-military-force-you-have-got-to-have-a-clear-purpose/) [Richard N. Haass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-n-haass/) > [For interests that are vital to the U.S. - that is, essential for our survival and wellbeing - the U.S. should be prepared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-t-allison/for-interests-that-are-vital-to-the-u-s-that-is-essential-for-our/) [Graham T. Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-t-allison/) > [My advice is: 1. Be judicious in the use of military force. 2. When military force is required, use overwhelming force. 3. Do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-stivers/my-advice-is-1-be-judicious-in-the-use-of-military-force-2-when/) [Steve Stivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-stivers/) ## More by Jim Mattis > [There is no room for military people, including our veterans, to see themselves as victims, even if so many of our countrymen are prone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/there-is-no-room-for-military-people-including-our-veterans-to-see/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) > [The Corps is in good hands, and it's been a privilege to serve with the Leathernecks. Now it's time to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/the-corps-is-in-good-hands-and-it-s-been-a-privilege-to-serve-with/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) > [We should not fight wars without a clearly defined end state... when you go to war, it can't be a half-step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/we-should-not-fight-wars-without-a-clearly-defined-end-state-when-you/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) > [It's very hard to live with yourself if you don't stick with your moral code.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/it-s-very-hard-to-live-with-yourself-if-you-don-t-stick-with-your/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) > [There is no God-given right to victory on the battlefield. 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It's not designed to be. We're not here to get you in touch with your inner child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/it-s-not-an-easy-course-it-s-not-designed-to-be-we-re-not-here-to-get/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) > [I don't have the best track record with quotes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/i-don-t-have-the-best-track-record-with-quotes/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) > [You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil. You know, guys like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/you-go-into-afghanistan-you-got-guys-who-slap-women-around-for-five/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) > [I've lived a very colorful life, and I've said some things, But not once have I taken them back, and I've never apologized for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/i-ve-lived-a-very-colorful-life-and-i-ve-said-some-things-but-not/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) > [I have never thought it necessary to patronize the American people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/i-have-never-thought-it-necessary-to-patronize-the-american-people/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) > [Basically, Islamic State is a combined al Qaeda and Lebanese Hezbollah on steroids, destabilizing the region, dissolving borders/changing the political geography in the Mid-east,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/basically-islamic-state-is-a-combined-al-qaeda-and-lebanese-hezbollah/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) [Explore all 87 Jim Mattis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. 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