Under new U.S. Army regulation, once-mandatory training focused on teaching soldiers about the legal frameworks governing war will be optional and at the discretion of commanders. In an opinion for Military Times, CERL Advisory Council member Geoffrey Corn warns of the dangers of cutting these trainings, noting that respect for and compliance with the law of war is essential to the legitimacy of the military, both real and perceived, and the strategic success of U.S. military operations.

Geoffrey S. Corn is the George R. Killam, Jr. Chair of Criminal Law and Director of the Center for Military Law and Policy at Texas Tech University School of Law. A retired U.S. Army Judge Advocate Officer, he served as the Army’s senior law of war advisor. He is also a member of the CERL Advisory Council. Read his bio here.   

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