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The interests of states in the field of national security do not differ much. They are the following: the protection of sovereignty, independence, territory, population, natural resources, basic principles, and values, which constitute the basis for future development and enhancement of wellbeing and contribution to harmonious relations with other countries. What differentiates them is the extent to and the manner in which the afore-stated interests are realized. Starting from the complexity of the interests and values that the state builds and develops, and for the purpose of national security, we will tackle the part of achieving and preserving the stated interests during crises, specifically the emergence and management of pandemic situations and the protection of national security in certain institutions (police, army, judiciary), whose work is directly and indirectly related to the security of citizens. The nature of COVID-19 had a tendency of threatening national security in all areas of life: the political system, human rights, the judiciary, the media, the economy, health, education, the security sector itself, including the police, the military, and the overall security intelligence community. This paper will cover the second and third years of the pandemic. The paper used quantitative and qualitative methods, which when applied gave us different numbers and facts complemented by the actions of different institutions, as key elements of national security, and we expect the paper to be instructive for the academic community, state authorities, society, and individuals about how to better prepare for future pandemics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The British Army is regularly ranked as the best training provider in the UK, with the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force also in the top ten. The Military train a lot of people, from the most basic infantry training to advanced skills and leadership courses. At the pinnacle of this is the Defence Academy, which provides world-class professional defence and security education for UK military, civil service and the defence industry and for allies and partners from across the world. This article is based on the Prince Philip Lecture 2024 delivered by Major General Rowell at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies at its Whitehall, London, headquarters on 10 July 2024. An abridged version of the first part of this paper appeared in Education Journal No. 568, 17 July 2024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The examination of decision-making styles (DMS) is crucial for understanding how individuals approach choices and form preferences. Two influential frameworks in the DMS discourse, proposed by Scott & Bruce, and Rowe, provide insightful lenses for correlating dominant styles with an array of personal characteristics. This comprehensive study delves into questionnaire results obtained in 2020 and 2022, employing methodologies aligned with Scott & Bruce, and Rowe. The survey targeted cohorts of business and military students, capturing nuanced aspects of decision-making. Introducing innovative concepts, namely submissive DMS and intensity of influence, expanded the analytical framework and facilitated a deeper understanding of decision-making dynamics. The analysis revealed substantial variations in decision-making styles within student populations, elucidating correlations with distinct personal characteristics. The incorporation of the intensity of dominance concept allowed for nuanced interpretations, particularly during the challenging COVID-19 period and the subsequent return to normalcy. The integration of proposed concepts represents a significant enrichment for future research in the field of DMS. This study underscores the critical role of evolving methodologies in elucidating the intricacies of decision-making processes. The ongoing refinement of these methodologies promises a more nuanced understanding of how individuals navigate complex decision-making scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Political Science Studies / Studia Politologiczne is the property of University of Warsaw and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of the research paper is to study the circumstances of the decision to reinforce the Roman army (supplementum) in 107 BCE during the Jugurthine War. The scientific novelty of the work is in the fact that, for the first time, the problem of supplementum (reinforcement for an already operating army) is singled out for a separate study. Process of recruiting volunteer fighters against the background of the war with the Numidians of 112-105 BCE and the internal political struggle in Rome at the end of the 1st century BCE is uncovered using a comprehensive source base. The reasons for the supplementum, as well as its specificity, previous appeals to this type of recruitment, and the prerogatives of the Senate or a certain official regarding its implementation and conducting are analyzed. Conclusions. In the study, we have found out that the information about the supplementum for Marius is given only by Sallustius in his work 'Bellum Jugurthinum'. Also, by analyzing the sources, we prove that Marius violated the rule of recruitment under the supplementum only in the fact that he recruited representatives of the poorest strata of the society without threatening the existence of the state because there was no threat from Numidia at that time -- unlike from the northern borders. So, we cannot exclude the fact that at least half of the reinforcements recruited by Marius were citizens from among the assidui, even those who could be the evocati. Analyzing the works of J. Rich, P. Brunt, L. de Ligt, and F. Cadiou, it is proven that during that time there was no shortage of 'worthy, good people' (boni). This was primarily due to the gradual lowering of the minimum census for military service. Also, the involvement of the impoverished strata of the Roman population was a sporadic practice, because during the 1st century BCE, the traditional recruitment according to property qualifications still took place. Marius took advantage of the opportunity to recruit anyone who wanted to serve under his command. The accelerated supplementum was not something brand new for the Roman army. In the future, prolonged wars would require more and more frequent additional recruitments, but in the sources that describe the events after the Jugurthine War, we do not see passages with such condemnation of actions, as we can see it in the episodes related to the replenishment of the African army conducted by Gaius Marius. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Suicidal ideation and attempts are considered to be graduated risks for suicide, yet they remain under studied. Suicide is among the leading causes of death in the U.S. for all individuals between the ages of 10 and 64 years. Suicide is a critical problem in the U.S. Military. The U.S. Army suicide rates surpassed civilian rates in 2008 and continue to climb steadily; with U.S. Army soldiers at more than twice the risk than U.S. civilians, and enlisted personnel at more than twice the risk of officers. Suicidal ideation and attempts are routinely reported within U.S. Army brigades using suicide-related serious incident reports (SR-SIRs). These reports could form a useful source of information for prevention planning, but to date there have been no efforts to summary these reports. This paper analyzes SR-SIRs among enlisted personnel for a 4-year period for 1 Army brigade, to test the usefulness of this information and to explore whether risk factors for attempts compared to ideation can be identified. Materials and Methods This report analyzes 130 de-identified reports of suicidal ideation (n  = 102) and suicide attempts (n  = 28) reported as SR-SIRs from August 2018 to June 2022 among enlisted personnel in an airborne infantry brigade combat team (BCT) outside the continental U.S. Analysis of de-identified data was not considered research by brigade and university human subject/IRB authorities. Fourteen soldier characteristics and context factors were examined to determine if they differentiate the two types of incidents, suicidal ideations and suicide attempts. Results Unit location and alcohol use at the time of the incident were strongly associated with suicide attempts compared to ideation. Attempts occurred disproportionately during off duty hours, and attempters were more likely to have had prior contact with behavioral health services than ideators; however, these differences did not attain conventional statistical significance. Conclusions The study can help inform unit-specific suicide prevention and intervention strategies. Off duty hours and alcohol use are risk factors for attempts, particularly among soldiers who have sought behavioral health care. Plans to engage and support soldiers who have sought behavioral health care during off duty hours, and information regarding the risks of alcohol use, could meaningfully reduce their risk. This is the first known attempt to examine active duty U.S. Army brigade combat team SR-SIRs, and they are a potentially valuable source of health and mental health-related information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study is the first attempt to examine the viable structure of transnational homophilic social networks by applying quantitative methods and VSM to fandom activities on social network platforms. • The BTS ARMY network is sustained by a systematic structure of key players who voluntarily play distinct roles within the network, represented as subsystems of the VSM framework, while the Arianator network is relatively unorganized and dispersed. • Multi-fandom accounts can act as potential user acquisition roles. • Different types of diffusion (e.g. information and media) are carried by distinct roles of subsystems. • The spillover effect of a cohesive group sharing a homophilic identity suggests a new type of cultural democracy built on social media that overturns traditional trends in pop culture. The world's largest transnational fandom community of the BTS (BangTan Sonyeondan) ARMY (Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth) is structured to achieve common goals and exert influence. To identify a mechanism that explains the organizational structure of transnational virtual communities, we empirically investigate how the global fandoms carry out autonomous activities and adapt to the environment without coercive governance despite their massive size and complexity. Using the techniques of social network analysis and viable system model, we found some structural differences between the online communities with a viable and non-viable structure. First, the BTS ARMY network is sustained by a systematic structure of key players who voluntarily play distinct roles. In contrast, the Arianator network is relatively unorganized and dispersed. Moreover, multi-fandom accounts can act as potential user acquisition roles. Finally, two different diffusion types, text-based information and image-based media , are carried by distinct roles of subsystems. As one of the first studies to empirically examine the viability of online transnational fandom from an organizational structure perspective, this paper provides practical implications for fandoms from three perspectives; (1) resource mobilization and sustainability, (2) influence of fandom dynamics, and (3) economic impact. The results suggest that fandoms taking strategic actions upon the viable structure on digital platforms could represent a new cultural hegemony, promoting global unity and pop cosmopolitanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Security Strategies Journal / Güvenlik Stratejileri Dergisi is the property of Strategic Research Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article explores how non-citizen minorities experience military service, focusing on children of international labor migrants who served in the Israel Defense Forces. During the 1990's, Israel witnessed an influx of migrant workers, primarily from the Philippines, Latin America and Africa. However, due to Israeli immigration policies, neither they nor their Israeli-born children were eligible for citizenship. Consequently, upon reaching the age of 18, unlike their Israeli peers, these children were not recruited into the army. Furthermore, they lived under constant threat of deportation. Due to advocacy by civil society organizations, in 2006 and 2010 the government granted civic status (permanent residency) to approximately 1,500 children. This made them eligible for military service, a somewhat unique situation globally. Upon completion of their first year of military service, they were eligible for Israeli citizenship and their immediate family members were eligible for permanent residency. Through qualitative and quantitative research, we examine inclusion and belonging amongst children of migrant workers who served in the military. Our findings suggest that military service enabled them to overcome the exclusionary boundaries they experienced as children in three ways. Firstly, they achieved formal belonging by receiving citizenship. Secondly, they achieved informal belonging through the cultural and social capital this service accrued within Israeli society. Finally, for some, military service deepened their knowledge of Judaism and, in certain cases, led to conversion, thus fostering religious belonging. These three aspects facilitated inclusion and a sense of belonging for these formerly marginalized children while also enhancing their legitimacy within Israeli society. This unique case study contributes to ongoing global debates about the experiences of minority groups in the military. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Military campaigns and maneuvers were defined in 1915 as “months of boredom punctuated by moments of terror”. Since then, many scholars have demonstrated boredom is a common experience for military bodies as a result of long periods of inaction and surveillance. A few less have focused on the fact that the sustained experience of boredom over time leads to repressed responses translated into an increase of violence, anger, and pathological behaviors. Even though boredom is considered a risk factor in this sense, there is still a gap of knowledge of ways to reduce boredom in such circumstances to avoid transgressive responses in the long run. This contribution does not aim at returning to empirical studies evidencing that the militaries experience boredom when they are doing nothing, doing something repeatedly, or are just waiting. Beyond that, it focuses on how boredom leads military actors to dangerous reactions because of a combination of poor stimulating situations and the need to repress the inherent reactive power of boredom itself. I will share a definition of military boredom based on the psychodynamic theory, the arousal hypothesis, the cognitive theory, and the reactive boredom approach to outline an explanation for military violent and transgressive behavior resulting from boredom that claims for more research on intervention models developed by both boredom studies researchers and military studies scholars to reduce boredom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing the research directions of leading aviation companies, it is evident that biocomponents will soon become a very important addition to the fuel used in turbine aircraft engines. Similarly, intensive efforts are underway to implement this type of solution in the armed forces. Here, the situation is more complex. All military fuels are intended for long-term storage, and bio-additives significantly alter the properties of fuels during this specific storage process. These changes invariably result in the deterioration of fuel quality parameters. The article presents an analysis and conclusions related to biocomponents as additives to F-35 fuel (NATO code-the military equivalent of Jet A-1 fuel). F-35 aviation fuel mixtures with the addition of biocomponents (HVO-Hydrorefined Vegetable Oil) at concentrations of 0–20% (V/V) were independently composed and stored for extended periods (0–6 months). The disadvantages and potential problems of this solution are discussed. The research has demonstrated that using biocomponents in the mixtures significantly alters the course of the distillation curve and increases the fuel’s electrical conductivity. Another adverse effect observed was a significant deterioration in the fuel’s low-temperature properties. The research indicates that using a bio-additive like HVO in F-35 fuel will require addressing many challenges. At the level of laboratory tests, it is to determine the limit value of the share of a biocomponent in a mixture at which the normative values are not yet violated and to confirm or rule out whether the mixtures are suitable for long-term storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]