The Professional Military Ethic

The idea of the Profession Military Ethic is one which has been instilled in me since the first day I entered military service. Luckily, in my case, I use the term ‘ethics’ synonymously with the term ‘values’ which makes my definition of the Professional Military Ethic relatively easy to define. The Army teaches all Soldiers a basic set of seven values using the acronym “LDRSHIP” to represent the individual Army Values: Loyal, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. Though each of the LDRSHIP components, taken individually, represent values; I view them comprehensively as the Professional Military Ethic. Each of the seven values which comprise my view of the Professional Military Ethic means something different to everyone. Over the course of this exposé I will attempt to define what each of the values which encompass my Professional Military Ethic mean to me.
Loyalty is the dedication to an organization, in this case the Army, which enables a Soldier to dedicate him- or herself to the core mission or cause. This particular value is of supreme importance for members of the military because the military life is not an easy one. In many cases, the military will ask its members to serve in capacities which can seriously strain other aspects of their life and it is loyalty that compels professional Soldiers to execute their mission without question. Of course, there are other controlling measures that the military uses to ensure Soldiers follow orders, such as the Uniform Code of Military Justice. However, for career Soldiers, the Army ultimately becomes a way of life and loyalty becomes an unquestioned value that contributes to the Professional Military Ethic.
Duty complements the value of loyalty in that it represents a Soldier’s internal feeling of responsibility to execute their mission. This particular value can take years to develop but is an essential component of the Professional Military Ethic because it provides the bearer with a sense of purpose. For Army officers and non-commissioned officers, duty is doubly important because it facilitates autonomous action which is necessary to lead subordinates in the absence of higher guidance.
Respect is a multi-faceted value which encompasses respect for oneself, property, and other. I have come to find that respect is a hallmark of military service which is a common characteristic of Army Soldiers. Respect of oneself can be in reference to physical fitness, personal appearance, or emotional stability. Respect for property can refer to the maintenance and safekeeping one’s personal property or that of others. Respect for others can most easily be defined as treating others with dignity. All of these components feed into the Professional Military Ethic.
Selfless Service enables Soldiers to put the mission above him- or herself. This particular value is essential to the Professional Military Ethic because it fosters a paradigm in which Soldiers are part of mission that is greater than themselves.
Honor is not a simple value to define but an essential component of the Professional Military Ethic. My interpretation of honor is primarily associated with actions; such as, did he or she act honorably? To conduct oneself honorably is closely tied to loyalty in the sense that a Soldier conducts him- or herself with the best interest of the Army in kind.
Integrity is an essential component of the Professional Military Ethic which reflects one’s ability to discern and act upon choices which reflect a basic understanding of right from wrong. Throughout the career of a Soldier, there are many decisions which can result in life or death and integrity is a driving force behind many of these decisions. As a component of the Professional Military Ethic, Integrity is inseparably tied to Honor which also drives a Soldier’s decision-making process.
Personal Courage is perhaps the most challenging component of the Professional Military Ethic because it requires Soldiers to put themselves in harm’s way to complete the mission. However, personal courage can be displayed in settings other than a wartime environment. In many cases, simply ‘doing the right thing’ can necessitate an act of personal courage. In any case, Personal Courage forces one to sacrifice their well-being for the greater good.
Taken individually, the seven components which represent the Army Values are simply characteristics used to guide Soldiers. Taken collectively, however, these seven values shape what I believe to be the Professional Military Ethic. To be a professional Soldier, one must possess all of these traits and incorporate them into his or her everyday life. For officers and non-commissioned officers alike, we serve as an example for younger Soldiers which makes the Professional Military Ethic of utmost importance. Simply put, Army leaders must lead by example and using LDRSHIP to guide our Professional Military Ethic is the best way to ensure success.

MAJ Robert C. Bender
Student, Command and General Staff School
U.S. Army Combined Arms Center
Fort Belvoir, VA

“The views expressed in the BLOG are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Dept. of the Army, Dept. of Defense, or the U.S. Government.”