Military Review English Edition March-April 2014 | Page 21
DEVELOPING TRUSTWORTHY OFFICERS
defined expectation for what one must do to demonstrate that he or she is trustworthy—it must be
more than just a leader who follows the honor
code or concept. There is a profound difference
between the two. It is our contention that trustworthy military professionals (leaders) will seek
the truth (to aspire to know that which is actually
so), to decide what is right, and to demonstrate
the character, competence, and commitment to
act accordingly.
In this regard, we are recommending that each
service academy, ROTC program, and OCS
Code of Ethics
Purpose: To foster trust in all our endeavors, personal and professional,
we adopt this code of ethics to guide our decisions and actions, in pursuit of excellence.
Premise: Trust is belief in and reliance on the competence, character, and
commitment of a person, organization, or institution. Trust is the foundation
for successful accomplishment of the Army's mission.
Goal: To be trustworthy, we aspire to be leaders of competence, character,
and commitment. As such, we seek to discover the truth, decide what is right*,
and demonstrate the competence, character, and commitment to act accordingly.
*[A “right” decision is efficient, effective, and ethical.]
We pledge to live by our Values:
Integrity: Decision making and action based on principles.
Duty: Contributing one’s best effort to accomplish the mission,
striving for excellence in all endeavors.
Honor: Reverence for the truth (honesty) and justice (fairness), regard for the
property of others, and commitment to upholding the Army Professional Ethic.
Loyalty: Allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America.
Service: Contribution to the well-being and benefit of others (teamwork).
Respect: Recognition of the intrinsic (infinite) dignity and worth of all people.
Courage: Commitment to do what is right despite risk, uncertainty, and fear.
Pledge: In the conduct of our duty we strive to continuously develop our
character, and competence, seeking to develop these attributes to be worthy
of trust and to effectively and ethically serve the common defense.
• That which is good is consistent with our sense of virtue, ethics, and morality.
• That which is moral is known to our conscience—to which we pledge to be true.
Figure 1
Sample code of ethics
adopt a code of ethics (transcending the limited,
proscriptive focus of any honor code and concept). This code of ethics should incorporate, at
a minimum, each service’s values. Consider this
illustration from the Army leadership policy on
the Army G-1 website:
MILITARY REVIEW
March-April 2014
Army Values are the baseline, core, and foundation of every soldier. Army Values guide
the way soldiers live their lives and perform
their duties. They are an inherent part of the
Army [Ethic] and [demand] standards of conduct to which all soldiers must adhere. The
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