Deontological Ethics: Military Action

We all know right from wrong. Sometimes the difficult decision is doing what is right not what is convenient.

Ethics Theory for the Military Professional by Chaplin (COL) Samuel D. Maloney illustrates the complex ethical decision making process. Army Leaders are responsible for professionally, and ethically develop subordinates. Developing unethical subordinates in a zero defect Army is a leadership challenge. Goal-Oriented Aspirations, Rule-Oriented Obligations, and Situation-Oriented Decisions provide leaders an understanding of the ethical decision making process. The first step to Professionally developing subordinates is identifying, and providing input on all subordinate goals. Leaders are obligated to enforce rules and regulations. Understanding subordinate character provides leaders with the information to evaluate a soldier’s integrity. However,

In Gallipoli, a 1981 film focusing on several young men who enlist in the Australian Army during World War I, an ethical dilemma is presented. One of the main characters, Archy Hamilton, is given an order by his superior officer, Major Barton, that will surely result in his death, as well as many others’, for nearly no tactical gain. From this order, the dilemma arises: should Archy follow the order given to him and charge fruitlessly into the enemy and inevitable death, or refuse the order in preservation of his own life? The natural instinct of survival—perhaps the most basic and primal human impulse—might lean one towards the option favoring self-preservation. In terms of a Soldier’s duties and Army ethics, however, we will see that the choice should be made to carry out the given orders even if doing so assures death, as long as the orders are lawful.

Often throughout life you are approached with situations that may make you question your ethics. This could very well happen in any profession, on any day. Being a part of the military is one of those professions that could put individuals in many moral/ethical dilemmas. “An ethical or moral dilemma is a situation in which a person is required by their ethical code to take at least two actions and, while able to take either, is not able to take both. In other words, they face an ethical failure no matter how they choose to act” (“What is an ethical dilemma?”, 2007). The popular movie film Lone Survivor has a few points where ethical dilemma stands out.

Often the outcome would turn out in the favor of the soldiers. Although sometimes the outcome would end up badly and it would turn into a mess for the soldiers. This was evident when Frank said: “Oh, no! We looked back and saw a huge black plume rising from the ridge behind us. We all knew the Kurds, as well as the rest of our team was up there” (Antenori & Halberstadt 173). Later on we would here: “CEASE FIRE! CEASE FIRE! Friendlies hit” (Antenori & Halberstadt 173). This is a great example of how a decision can turn bad in a heart beat. It all started when Frank decided that he had a good shot of bombing the enemy from behind because they were clumped up. Though while making it little did he know is that the team would actually end up being pushed back right onto the bomb drop site. I strongly feel that had the soldiers known they would have been pushed back they would not have called that bomb in where they would later be standing. Sometimes decisions can go badly even if they were meant to go right. Luckily for the team the bomb did miss most of everybody and only left a few injured because of the quick reaction time over the intercom. Now some decisions like this one you question why they were made and what lead them to be made. Though I can also evaluate how Frank acted as a true hero when it mattered the

People might rather pay the consequences of their actions even if they are not guilty rather than having it in their conscience perpetuate. In addition when a person sacrifices his life for the truth that exhibits a persons character. Not every person will die for the truth normally it would be the opposite but those that do want to emphasize their point of view. They will take those risks because they are benevolent. They would just want stop what is going on and not allow the unfairness to continue and put others in the same predicament. This would help others figure out how they were wrong and really think meticulously about their own actions compared to others. A person that was held in high esteem by the village gave very important

When faced with a difficult choice a person will think the multitude of different options over before making their final decision. Do they go with the choice that will benefit them or the choice that will benefit others? Many decisions are made on the circumstances of the situation a person is in. If a person is told in a time of war to participate in an act, that person will participate due to the fear of the consequences, even if that person does not know what the consequences are. In Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland by Christopher Browning the men of the battalion are faced with many options during their time in the battalion. Choices that include killing Jews in a firing squad to

Ethics matter in any kind of business or organization, but they are especially significant when it comes to the US Army (Blackburn, 2001). The reason behind this involves the chain of command and the risk to life and limb that are such large parts of military life. When a soldier in the Army has no ethics, he or she can cause trust and respect problems with other members of his or her unit. The US military is a stressful organization for most people involved with it, and people's lives are on the line frequently. Issues like PTSD and other medical problems are commonplace for those who leave the military and must adjust to civilian life, so it is very important that those who are in the Army work with their colleagues and higher-ups to get the help and support they need during and after their service. There is more to ethics in the Army than the problems that military individuals can face, though.

The following are the key ethical decision points shown in Platoon. In each of them soldiers make decisions with large ethical ramifications. For each example, where the

Every organization, both large and small, will typically have a well-defined set of values that they wish to espouse. This is the template for a successful, trained work force. These values will guide individuals during the decision-making processes that they will encounter. This blue print helps to ensure the integrity of the company and the individual, as well. Our Army today is no different. We can find our values and creeds everywhere we turn. One quick trip to a company or battalion headquarters will yield all the information a Soldier ever needs to assist them in making ethical choices. We hang posters touting the seven Army values on every wall. Units will prominently display the

Ethical dilemma comprises an individual selecting the most effective course of action, identifying the different courses presented and realization that any one principle will be conceded (Allen, 2013). In the movie, Lone Survivor, 4 Navy Seals were conducting recon for a high target value mission in Afghanistan to take out a Taliban leader. During their mission, they encountered two boys and an older man who were herding sheep. To not compromise the mission, the civilians were detained. The language barrier and stress of this unexpected event opened the door for the major ethical dilemma posed in the film. The seals were unsure of the affiliations of these civilians to the Taliban, the consequences to their mission or the treat to their lives.

In August of 1992, President George Bush Sr. sent US soldiers into Somalia to provide humanitarian relief to those Somalis suffering from starvation. The major problems in Somalia started when President Mohammed Siad Barre was overthrown by a coalition of opposing clans. Although there were several opposing groups, the prominent one was led by Mohammed Farah Aidid. Following the overthrow of Barre, a massive power struggle ensued. These small scale civil wars led to the destruction of the agriculture in Somalia, which in turn led to the deprivation of food in large parts of the country. When the international community heard of this, large quantities of food were sent to ease Somali suffering. However, clan leaders like Aidid routinely

As current problems of terrorism and the war on Iraq, chemical, biological and nuclear warfare (CBW) issues are important and relevant. CBW agents are dangerous, uncontrollable and undifferentiating weapons of mass destructions. Chemical, biological and nuclear weapons are capable of mass destruction aimed at killing masses of people. Using CBW agents comes with many ethical dilemmas and consequential side-effects. Chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons are designed to yield a great number of deaths. Regarding the ethical use of CBW, while looking at the larger context of war, one must determine the value of life. As backed by Virtues Ethics, this mass

As an organizational- level leadership, he will confront many thorny problems and missions that challenge their moral criteria and military profession. In particular, when they receive the order from the upper- level, how he employ his expertise to exercise his moral leadership and undertake the tasks. Actually, both of the profession and ethic are interdependent, and inseparable. Thus, a professional commissioned officer should understand how to fit ethic into his expertise. Moreover, people would face the dilemmatic situation between the obedience of rules and the consideration of the consequence. When it comes to the moral or ethical, should I follow the deontology or consequentialism? Which one is the most critical priority to the stewardship

During my time in the military there were many accounts of ethical and unethical decision making. When in uniform we are often forced to make quick decisions to get the job done. Like many organizations we also have our own code of ethics, morals and principles that we follow. The problem with this is that in times of need we often can make decisions that were unethical but got the task completed. We also must factor in the many differing opinions on what is ethical and what is not.