Military Professionalism and Ethics

Abstract

This study focuses on the professional ethical conduct of the U.S. Armed Forces officer. The problem is defined as the gap between what military officers actually perceive to be the behavior of their fellow officers and the ethical standard of performance expected of the profession. The professional military ethic is defined as the set of expectations for behavior that is commonly understood and generally accepted by the military profession. These expectations are derived from the trust and confidence vested in the profession by the nation and from the traditional and developing values necessary to fulfillment of the unique military mission. Although there is general acceptance among officers of the basic value concepts of military professionalism, the difficulty comes in applying those values to the exigencies of the environment in which the military officer serves. This study examines the strains and influences that will always be present to discourage ethical conduct. It seeks understanding of the nature of the problem and the resolve within the profession to renew the spirit and standards traditional to the military profession.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1979
Accession Number
ADA078211

Entities

People

  • Francis B. Galligan

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Business Administration
  • Employment
  • Governments
  • Instructors
  • International Law
  • Management Personnel
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Personnel
  • Military Science
  • Military Training
  • National Security
  • Organizational Structure
  • Personnel Management
  • Public Administration
  • Students
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • Education

Readers

  • Economics
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.
  • STEM Education