Ethical Imbalance: How the U.S. Army Overcame its Manning Crisis
Abstract
The U.S. Army appears to be facing an ethical dilemma when it comes to manning these days. Ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have created one of the greatest manning challenges the U.S. Army has faced since it dropped conscription as a method of filling out its formations at the end of the Vietnam War. To meet this challenge, the Army has modified a number of its manning practices which seem to counter its own aspirations of maintaining a total quality and values-based force. In the rush to increase manning levels, the Army has stretched, almost to the breaking point, both ends of its manning strategy. On the recruiting end, the Army has lowered the standard to include more recruits who previously would have been considered unfit to serve, while on the retention end, it has created a culture that retains those whose behavior was once certain to get them thrown out. The Army's new approach to manning seems controversial at best and grossly unethical at worst. This issue underscores a widening gap between the values the Army espouses and the values upon which it acted to overcome its manning shortfalls.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 02, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA500883
Entities
People
- Jimmy L. Mcconico
Organizations
- United States Army War College