The Army is undoubtedly one of the most respected professions. This respect is based on the noble duty of providing security to the American people at the expense of their lives. The risks associated with the duties of the military require dedication and intrinsic motivation to develop the courage to face any emerging threat. Throughout the years, the Army has demonstrated to be one of the critical professions for the country’s survival. The success of the United States is majorly attributed to the service members’ sacrifice and hard work in ensuring peace and security within the US territories. Additionally, it has been the military’s duty to overcome aggressive nations that threaten the security of the United States. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the mode of operation of the Army and their driving values and ethics to accord them the required courtesy and civility. This paper analyzes the military profession, its culture, and ethics which are vital factors for the military human resource specialist to consider in maintaining the welfare of the soldiers.
The primary foundation of the US Army profession is the American people’s trust, which has enabled the profession to be autonomous. As an autonomy, the US military can create its policies and oversee the implementation of these policies by its professionals (Dempsey et al., 2010). These policies aim to maintain the people’s trust and ensure that the profession delivers its duties according to its mandate. The military profession operates based on the interest of society by providing security that provides a conducive environment for the prosperity of the people.
The military profession is subject to various challenges and risks. Given its mandate, there is a need for this profession to remain solid and powerful at any given time. Therefore, the profession comprises leaders at various levels who identify the challenges facing the profession and develop mechanisms to address such issues. Besides, the strength of the military profession is often sustained by its inherent authority to defend the Constitution and protect the people’s interests. The soldiers’ spirits are sustained by the culture of selflessness and duty in serving the Constitution according to the ethics and standards of the US Army professional (Dempsey et al., 2010). The significant attributes that define the Army profession include expertise, development, values, service, and trust. These values form the basis of the conduct of professional soldiers while on service.
The culture of the Army profession is depicted by its professional soldiers. Culture in the Army is essential in forming its identity and values that unite all the soldiers into a single entity to form an institution. The Army culture is presented at various levels, including artifacts, beliefs, values, and fundamental underlying presumptions (Dempsey et al., 2010). The artifact level is the outermost level of the army culture and comprises the tangible factors that unite the soldiers. Some prominent artifacts include uniforms, symbols, ceremonies, language, and technology. At the espoused values and beliefs level, the soldiers subscribe to specific doctrines and policies that shape their behaviors depicted at the artifact level. Lastly, the fundamental underlying assumptions form the innermost level of the culture. At this level, assumptions regarding specific issues are formed to guide the Army in handling such scenarios in the future.
Three major dimensions of the Army culture guide the Army profession during a transition. These dimensions include professional identity, community, and hierarchy (Dempsey et al., 2010). The professional identity forms the basis of the soldier’s behavior and shapes their goals and objectives to align with the doctrine of the Army profession. Secondly, the community dimension gives the soldiers the spirit of teamwork and enhances cohesion within the Army. The community aspect promotes collaboration in executing duties and enables the professionals to have a common objective. Lastly, the hierarchy dimension facilitates order at the different levels of authority within the Army and defines the duties of the soldiers at their respective levels. Hierarchy in the Army culture is essential in ensuring coordination in executing duties to promote efficiency.
The last section of understanding the Army profession is the Army Ethic. The US army is based on specific values and traditions that define the conduct of its soldiers. The Army Ethic provides the framework that facilitates the development of the specific professional character that defines the conduct of the US soldiers and the military institution (Dempsey et al., 2010). The Army Ethic has been essential in guiding how the Army formulates and conducts its operations. This framework dictates that the primary duty why the Army engages in operations is to protect the rights of the American people in a way that respects the rights of other people. Additionally, the Army’s responsibility is to protect the political autonomy of the United States. Furthermore, the Army Ethic guides the soldiers on how to conduct operations within the confines of the ethical principles of their profession. During a military operation, the soldier must understand the moral value of the operation, the critical goals of the operation, and the winning vision (Dempsey et al., 2010). These objectives enable the soldier to maintain their professional identity and act morally.
In conclusion, the White Paper provides a clear understanding of the Army profession and its dynamics. Understanding the Army as a professional is vital in identifying the key issues that they face in their profession and devise ways of improving their welfare. The several wars the US Army has engaged in have exposed the soldiers to various challenges which have strengthened them and inspired them to adapt to the emerging trends. Additionally, these challenges have enabled human resource specialists to develop new approaches in improving the welfare of the soldiers.
References
Dempsey, M., General, U. S., & General, C. (2010). An Army white paper; the profession of arms. Center for the Army Profession and Ethic, Combined Arms Center, US Army Training and Doctrine Command.