Military Professionalism - United States Air Force Academy

THE NATURE AND THE ETHOS OF THE MILITARY PROFESSION
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Ahern, Don. “An Interview with Martin E. Dempsey.” Prism 2.1 (Dec. 2010): 151-
155.
http://www.ndu.edu/press/interview-martin-dempsey.html
The military must assess how nine years of war and an era of persistent transparency
have affected the understanding of what it means to be a professional soldier. According
to Gen. Shinseki, the most important responsibility of an officer is to manage transitions.
The military is currently going through a transition. Officers must preserve the military’s
expert knowledge, commitment to continuing education, values, service, and apolitical
stance.
Allen, Charles D. “Lessons Not Learned: Civil-Military Disconnect in Afghanistan.”
Armed Forces Journal 148.2 (Sept. 2010): 30-33.
No matter how seemingly innocuous, the comments of senior military officers who
represent the organization, the institution, and the profession, could have significant (and
unintended negative) consequences. Senior leaders are strategic communicators whose
words and actions count. Comments by leaders set the tone and the climate within
organizations—for good and for bad—and they are never neutral. Gen. McKiernan was
relieved as the commander in Afghanistan because he did not build trust with civilian
leaders. Gen. McChrystal was relieved as the commander in Afghanistan because he
operated outside of policy and publicly spoke negatively of the president. Both
disregarded civilian control of the military.
Bacevich, Andrew J. “Endless War, a Recipe for Four-Star Arrogance.” The
Washington Post (Jun. 27, 2010).
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/06/25/AR2010062502160.html
Protracted conflicts corrode the values of popular government and the code of military
conduct that honors the principle of civilian control while keeping the officer corps free
from the taint of politics. American citizens need to reclaim ownership of the military by
insisting that Washington abandon its de facto policy of perpetual war. Alternatively, the
United States must become a nation truly at war in terms of civic obligation, fiscal
policies, and domestic priorities. One of these two courses of action must be chosen or
else disrespect for civilian control will continue to be shown by officers, as in the Gen.
McChrystal case.
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