Professional Military Ethics
Ethics is doing what is right or acceptable. Professional military ethics is concerned with the right behavior for members of the military. Marine Corps should behave in a manner that is beyond reproach whether or not they are on duty. If they don’t follow the Marine Corps’ values in their personal lives, they risk ruining the reputation of their unit and that of the American Marines. Their daily actions should show ethics such as courage, discipline, honor, honesty, and responsibility. Unit leaders and commanders should lead by example and the training they provide should have a clear purpose (Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 6-10 B, 2016). This essay will discuss how ethics applies to the profession of arms, describe the effects of values on personal and professional relationships, and discuss the nature of values.
Discuss How Ethics Applies to the Profession of Arms.
The Hunting Story teaches us that each person knows that their life has the same value as that of others, and should be treated equally. Values are considered differently by various people. Members of the profession of arms should adopt life protecting values by not killing others unnecessarily. All Marine Corps should practice their core values, namely: honor, courage, and commitment. It is unacceptable for anyone to kill another person based on their relative values, such as a cause that may be “good” to them. Marines should first ensure that they have a moral cause before engaging in war or taking away a person’s life. Killing is only justified when it is done to save lives (Hoban, 2012).
Explain How Values Affect Personal and Professional Relationships.
Values help team members to work together more cohesively. When these teams share a common mission, they work more effectively. Members of the military should obey the Marine Corps’ values and only then can their colleagues trust that they will make the right decisions. Marines should understand that whatever they do in their line of work or professional life makes an impression on people’s perception of the service. When Marines practice the core values they are taught at work, they become morally fit even in their relationships. Values can create or avoid conflict at work, influence a person’s manner of leadership, and motivate their colleagues. They should make it a habit to do the right thing regardless of whether they are in uniform or not. This will bring out their best moral character (Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 6-10 B, 2016).
Discuss the Nature of Values.
Values are ambiguous in nature and affect all aspects of a person’s life. They instill high standards of moral behavior in the personal and professional lives of soldiers. Values positively affect one’s leadership qualities, efficiency in combat, and morale. This in turn affects their work, the efficiency of their unit, how they relate with their colleagues, family, and friends. Some of the Marine Corps’ values include honor, courage, and commitment. Values make members of the military to be responsible, honest, have integrity, and follow military tradition. A soldier with values does not provoke others, takes responsibility for their actions and decisions, is honest (tells the truth, does not steal, cheat or lie), and respects military traditions, courtesies, customs, and heritage. When a soldier respects other people’s heritage, he or she upholds the professional military identity. They should also be courageous. This includes self-discipline (life-long learning and maintaining physical, psychological and mental fitness), commitment to and defense of their country (America), be loyal to their command and colleagues, and be determined in battle (Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 6-10 B, 2016).
Conclusion
This essay discussed how ethics applies to the profession of arms, described the effects of values on personal and professional relationships, and discussed the nature of values. Everyone feels that their life is equal to that of other people no matter their social class or race. Values are ambiguous in that they may change with time, location, and people. They also affect the quality of both our personal and professional relationships and influence all aspects of our lives. Doing the right thing at all times improves how people relate to each other. Doing good builds a good reputation for a person and in turn, they relate better with their friends, colleagues, and family. Good values improve a person’s behaviors.
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