Introduction
Today, millions of people understand and reconsider the role of the Army at the international level because of the necessity to maintain peace and support human freedoms and rights. Several years ago, the developers of the “America’s Army – Our Profession” (AAOP) program underlined the necessity to expand a better understanding of the military profession, improve the skills of soldiers and Army civilians, and emphasize a culture of service in the country (Center for the Army Profession and Ethics (CAPE, 2018). Program stakeholders continue reinforcing trust, strengthening stewardship, and enhancing esprit de corps by addressing the Army’s ethics and values—each position and role in the program matters. Promoting the financial management technician can bring many benefits due to close attention to the country’s resource management and financial operations.
What It Means to Be a Professional
In the Army, being a professional means achieving excellence in most directions and precisely completing the established goals. The program identifies that Americans believe and trust in the U.S. Army, and all professionals must work consciously and hard to maintain their role and demonstrate moral character and competence” by following their “personal commitment” (CAPE, 2018). The job is to defend the nation by all means.
CAPE follows its mission to shape the future of force and support military education (“What is CAL?”, 2023). In fact, professionals should recognize and understand several critical roles, namely being “honorable servants, Army experts, and stewards of the profession” (CAPE, 2018, p. 13). These qualities help preserve core ethical values and trust in financial management or another military profession.
Upholding the Army Ethics and Army Values and Reinforcing Trust
People expect all their relationships and business affairs to remain trustworthy and honest from all perspectives. In the program, trust is “the bedrock” of the profession, where honorable services and responsibilities play an essential role (CAPE, 2018, p. 19). Upholding the Army ethic and values is necessary to reinforce trust among leaders, peers, soldiers, civilians, Army professionals, and their families. Serving financial needs and resource management are the responsibilities of financial technicians, and trust, in this case, is one of the critical values.
How to Inspire Honorable Service
Honorable services in the AAOP program inspire all participants in various ways. First, the Army is the only professional that aims to serve, support, and defend the nation from the point of view of American interests (CAPE, 2018). People should remember this morale to prepare students and develop new policies and procedures.
Second, making the right decisions and taking the necessary actions should never violate the Army ethic, underlying the worth of commitment, competence, and character (CAPE, 2018). Finally, recognizing and stopping unethical practices and ensuring proper conduct is never too late. All these elements of honorable services inspire particular people and the whole nation.
Strengthening Stewardship of the Army Profession and Enhancing Esprit de Corps
Stewardship of the Army profession means caring for all individuals, including soldiers, civilians, families, and resources. Its strengthening is a direct obligation of all professionals to ensure a safe future and strive for performance excellence (CAPE, 2018). It is not enough to respect or trust each other but understand that their work is more than just a job; it is a community that faithfully discharges duties to enhance their esprit de corps (CAPE, 2018). Thus, resource management and emotional support define the quality of services and the level of cooperation between people with different backgrounds but a common purpose, vision, and esprit de corps.
Finance Core and Non-Commissioned Officers: Roles and Responsibilities
Considering all those issues and core values, the AAOP underlines the roles of the Financial Management Technician, the Finance Core (FC), and Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs). Each profession has its creed according to which individuals learn their duties and accept their responsibilities. For example, CAPE (2018) defines an NCO as a professional and a leader of soldiers who follows the principles of competence and accomplishment. This person should place the needs of soldiers above their own and constantly communicate to never leave them uninformed (CAPE, 2018).
FCs and NCOs are also responsible for sharing subject and financial matters and guiding all subordinates equally. Any program has a budget, and FCs and NCOs must ensure adequate funding based on financial analysis and technical risk assessments. Organizational heads must prepare authority lines and signatures, and NCOs have the right to sign for them (Headquarters Department of the Army, 2020). These roles define the quality of services because of the imposed coordination and financial management that become a part of any acquisition strategy.
Conclusion
The AAOP program has many benefits for soldiers and Army civilians. The U.S. government must never forget its mission to provide all the necessary capabilities and resources to support national security. However, the work of NCOs, FCs, and other program stakeholders shows how to improve the already offered missions and expectations with the help of simple but crucial ethical issues. Sometimes, people underestimate the impact of trust, commitment, and competence at work. CAPE and AAOP prove that each positive has its worth, and each person has to integrate the best skills and qualities in the name of national safety.
References
Center for the Army Profession and Ethics. (2018). Army profession pamphlet. Cape.Army.Mil. Web.
Headquarters Department of the Army. (2020). Army regulations 25-50: Preparing and managing correspondence. Web.
What is CAL? (2023). U.S. Army. Web.