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 19