An ethical problem facing the Army today
Abstract
A key ethical problem in the Army today is how the senior leadership functions. Having been in the Army for 22 years, I've seen more than my share of poor decisions being made. I have seen key leaders make poor decisions based on what they wanted to do and not what was good for the mission or personnel based on their rank and position. These types of decisions are counter-productive within an organization. In the military you're taught that you must respect the rank, but it doesn't say that you have to respect the person wearing the rank. Too many leaders today have forgotten where they came from We were all privates or lieutenants at one point and time in our careers. The military is not a democracy, but has a regimented structure. We all must follow orders, but when those orders are considered morally questionable and unethical, this becomes problematic throughout the entire organization. When subordinates ask why a decision has been made a certain way, in some circumstances, the answer stated is "because he/she is the ranking person and they said to do it". That is a cop out and it doesn't explain the reason for the decision. If a Soldier asks a question, it's because he/she doesn't understand why or how the decision was made. They usually want to learn for their own personal and professional development. We must do a better job of explaining decisions. We mustn't lose sight of the fact that our actions will have an impact on future decisions. We are training tomorrow's leaders. I have found that if you take the time to explain why and how you reached that particular decision, Soldiers will accept that answer and follow without further questions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 16, 2005
- Accession Number
- AD1133250
Entities
People
- Michael L. Ables
Organizations
- United States Army Sergeants Major Academy