It is challenging to overestimate the role of the military for world growth and well-being. However, it is worth considering that this body can only lead to positive outcomes if it relies on the right principles and ideas. Multiple phenomena can determine whether the military sphere is sufficiently developed, while professionalism and ethics can be considered playing a crucial role among them. Thus, the given essay will comment on why these two aspects are significant for the military and how it is possible to promote them.
On the one hand, professionalism in the military refers to how involved individuals act to perform their duties. According to Paterson (2019), this explanation of the term is vague because the United States does no offer a functional definition of this concept. However, the absence of a precise articulation does not mean that the military system does not draw attention to this phenomenon. Paterson (2019) admits that this professionalism consists of a few concepts, including military subordination, “knowledge and practice of the law of armed conflict and human rights law,” and others (p. 145). This information denotes that professionalism in the military determines how soldiers and officers cooperate with one another and how they approach other individuals who are involved in acts of a military nature.
On the other hand, ethics of the military refers to numerous aspects of military conduct and thinking. In particular, Emonet (2018) explains that this concept helps the personnel distinguish right from wrong and make decisions when traditional laws are helpless. Numerous development processes in the military sphere and various socio-cultural events all over the world lead to the fact that the military personnel faces versatile challenges. For example, a significant ethical dilemma is whether to approach child soldiers as fully-fledged terrorists or victims who are forced to engage in violence (Withnall & Brockie, 2019). It is a typical case that soldiers and officers should make informed ethical decisions in a challenging environment and over a restricted period of time.
The information above demonstrates that it is reasonable to invest in enhancing professionalism and ethics in the military. Emonet (2018) stipulates that education and training are leading instruments to promote ethics among the personnel. It is so because such programs help soldiers and officers identify and accept ethical values as well as prevent and solve such dilemmas. Furthermore, Emonet (2018) states that appropriate education activities develop leadership and contributes to establishing productive civilian-military relations. That is why it is possible to suppose that this intervention will also be useful for promoting leadership in the military. It is so because appropriate programs and courses can directly improve subordination and personnel’s knowledge of the laws.
In conclusion, the essay has demonstrated that professionalism and ethics are significant in the military sphere. It is so because the former contributes to the fact that soldiers and officers abide by the specified rules and laws to perform their duties. Simultaneously, the latter draws attention to ethical dilemmas that occur when the military personnel cannot rely on the guidance above to make decisions. The two concepts are useful for soldiers and officers since they determine these individuals’ conduct and thinking. That is why it is necessary to find effective ways to promote the phenomena among the personnel. Evidence from a credible source demonstrates that education and training activities are useful in this case.
References
Emonet, F. (2018). The importance of ethics education in military training. NCO Journal.Â
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Paterson, P. (2019). Measuring military professionalism in partner nations: Guidance for security assistance officials. Journal of Military Ethics, 18(2), 145-163.
Withnall, R., & Brockie, A. (2019). Military ethics: An operational priority. BMJ Military Health, 165(4), 219.