Progressivism, Professionalism, and Reform
Abstract
Careerism is a phenomenon which most officers deplore. Indeed, the majority would argue that the careerist's inordinate personal ambition has no place in our profession. Yet despite such disapproval, military careerism continues to thrive-a situation which the officer corps today accepts with startling equanimity. 1 Periodic revelations such as the recent embarrassing recruiting irregularities make it impossible for us to close our eyes altogether to the persistence of this affliction. And while these particular incidents may have been unusual in detail, the pressures that undoubtedly generated them are widespread. Very few officers are immune to the insistent requirement always to put the best face on things and to give the appearance of superior performance, regardless of the shortcomings that such appearances conceal. The continued existence of such pressures raises serious questions. What is their source? What is their impact on the officer corps? What can be done about them? The key to answering these questions lies first in understanding the essential duality of officership. Army officers are members of both a unique profession and a complex organization. By failing to distinguish clearly between the values of their professional fraternity and those of a modern bureaucracy, soldiers not only deny themselves the true satisfaction of a professional life but also may imperil both the future of their service and the security of the nation. Even a cursory analysis reveals that demands imposed upon officers by the two-profession and organization-are not only distinct, but even antithetical.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA515061
Entities
People
- Andrew J. Bacevich Jr.
Organizations
- United States Army War College