Moral Leadership in an Increasingly Amoral Society: Is the United States Military Value System Suitable in Contemporary America
Abstract
The US military has a clear track record of how it has defined what is right and wrong behavior for its members. From military law to doctrine, regulations, and policies, the military establishment has exhibited and employed a relatively stable moral value system to maintain good order and discipline. Conversely, American society has become more attuned to the rights of individuals. Contemporary society encourages members of its diverse population to establish their own values, consequently de-emphasizing any particular set of "rights and wrongs," and seemingly abandoning its historical moral basis in many areas. In light of this contrast in values, the military faces the challenge of assessing the degree to which it may be "out of step" with the society it serves, and deciding what, if anything, needs to be done about this difference. The primary questions to be answered in this research paper are: (1) How is the US military value system in conflict with the American societal value system; and (2) should the military's value system change to correspond to society's? The methodology employed consisted primarily of a literature examination, including: textbooks from the fields of philosophy and sociology; public documents such as the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Manual for Courts-Martial, and Congressional testimony; various books, reports, articles and speeches identifying pros and cons of contemporary societal and military values; and recent periodicals which covered current examples where the two perspectives have collided (e.g. adultery and gays in the military).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA398415
Entities
People
- Drew D. Jeter
Organizations
- Air University