Military Professionalism - United States Air Force Academy

Collins, Joseph J. “What Civil-Military Crisis?” Armed Forces Journal 147.6 (Feb.
2010): 18-21.
http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/2010/02/4419089/
Eliot Cohen wrote, “statesmen must actively and, if need be, relentlessly question their
top generals on operational issues and defense management, challenging their responses
and holding them accountable for results. Civil-military relations are thus an unequal
dialogue with the civilian superior establishing the boundaries between executive
authority and military expertise.” Officers should offer their advice to civilian leadership
in private settings. Retired officers should not endorse political candidates because this
behavior might unduly influence former subordinates or be interpreted as the views of the
armed forces as a whole. The Joint Chiefs of Staff should consider issuing a code of
conduct for retired military officers.
Dao, James. “Life and Death Decisions Weigh on Junior Officers.” The New York
Times, Global Edition, Asia Pacific (Dec. 20, 2010).
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/world/asia/21captain.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
America’s front-line troops entrust their lives to junior officers. These officers, in their
20s and early 30s, do much more than lead soldiers into combat. They must be coaches
and therapists one minute, diplomats and dignitaries the next. They are asked to
comprehend the machinations of Afghan allies even as they parry the attacks of Taliban
foes. The Army each year faces an exodus of captains from the service. Burnout, secondguessing
by superior officers, and the prospect of dull administrative jobs after
deployment are often cited as reasons.
Dempsey, Martin E. “Duty: Understanding the Most Sublime Military Value.”
Masters thesis, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, 1988.
http://cgsc.cdmhost.com/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/p4013coll2&CISOPTR=
1500&CISOBOX=1&REC=6
Then Maj. Dempsey believes that Duty is the essential value of the military profession.
He finds the definition of Duty in FM 100-1 to be inadequate and proposes a definition of
Duty based on these five imperatives: defense of the United State, support of the
government in the performance of its constitutional duties, dedication to the military
profession, selflessness, and courage. He calls for an emphasis on Duty in education.
Dempsey, Martin E. “A Campaign of Learning: Avoiding the Failure of
Imagination.” The RUSI Journal 153.3 (June/July 2010): 6-9.
Rapid technological advancements are making the security environment more
competitive and placing a greater premium on leaders who can adapt. U.S. enemies have
decentralized and used commercial technology to empower their networks. Officers must
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