The Army: The Professional Army

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The Professional Army The classification of the Army as a professional has been part of the Army since its official organization in 1775. The definition of Army service, especially during times of war, continue to fluctuate between profession and organization. The Army is a profession because it requires specialized expertise, ethical behavior, and contain members who embrace the core values that define the organization. “The Profession of Arms requires expert knowledge and that expertise is manifested as unique skills in the individual professional and by Army units.” The Army is a profession because it uses institutions, operational training, and self-development to create highly skilled service members. The Army has established…show more content…
Ethics are rules of behavior based on ideas about what is morally good and bad. Medical professionals follow a strict code of ethics that safeguard the rights and confidence of their clients. The army is no different. The Army relies on ethical behavior within its ranks in order to maintain trust from the people who grant the organization its professional status. The failure of its Soldiers can remove the confidence of the American people, thus diminishing our association with the word profession. The balance to maintain the Army as a profession is an ongoing day-to-day effort. The manner in which we conduct ourselves has proven that our professional status is conditional and proportionate to the good conduct within the organization as it interacts with itself, other nations, and the US citizens. One example is the incident at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, where eleven Soldiers humiliated and tortured an estimated 44 Iraqi…show more content…
The army as a profession rests on the ideals of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage as a way to live their everyday life. These values are the foundation in which professional Soldiers act on and off duty. A violation of the core values is unfavorable and considered unprofessional or unbecoming of Army standards. The Code of Conduct and the Soldier’s Creed also define ethical behavior within the Army. They both define what a Soldier is and what is considered favorable and honorable conduct. The Soldiers Creed stanzas of: mission first, never accepting defeat, never quit, never leaving a fallen comrade, form the Army’s Warrior Ethos. All these components build into the Ethics of the Army organization. They strengthen or erode trust within the organization and with the American people. Soldiers are required to abide by the ethical behavior and values that that define the Army as a profession. What it means to be a member of the Profession of Arms is to internalized the values and ethics of the organization and commit to becoming an expert in your job and in your life. The Army today is a volunteer service. The invitation to become a part of the Profession of arms is open to every American citizen, but restricted to the ability to adhere to and adopt the “Army way of

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