Ethics, Power and the Forbidden Zone
Abstract
Oftentimes we as leaders face the difficult task of balancing our personal values with those of society and our organization. What might seem as a personal matter could also be assumed as a military item of interest. Additionally, issues thought to be of military concern, may be judgedby society. An item of interest brought to the forefront in today's Army is the issue of sexual misconduct of our leaders. Sexual misconduct demands the attention of leaders in our Army. Sexual misconduct is a potentially explosive mixture of supervisory power, sex and unethicalbehavior which can brew unnoticed. This type of behavior can be a career ending experience along with loss of faith in our leaders. When sexual misconduct occurs, it can be termed ''the forbidden zone". One would be mistaken to declare that this problem does not exist. At times,these same individuals who ignore the problem can unknowingly perpetuate its existence and become a deterrent to the solution. Those who seek exposure or appropriate actions for sexual misconduct are frequently labeled as a nuisance or annoyance. No issue is more important tooperational effectiveness than the morale of our Soldiers. Nothing destroys morale more quickly than unethical sexual behavior.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 16, 2005
- Accession Number
- AD1131022
Entities
People
- Patricia R. Quillen
Organizations
- United States Army Sergeants Major Academy