Ethics In The Military

Ethics is often times subjective and can have uncertain areas that many will find themselves in at some point in their lives. Ethics can be thought of as something that can be placed on a spectrum. The notion of ethical dilemmas solidifies this idea. Possessing sound ethical principles can take one far in both a career and in one’s personal life. Businesses and organizations have realized the importance of having and promoting strong ethical practices. History is fraught with those who did not take warning and ultimately they failed. That being the case, it is important to understand one’s individual ethical codes and standards to ensure they match with their associated organization or workplace.

Personally, I base my ethical standards on …show more content…
This is demonstrated in the sense that some may value integrity more than justice, while the opposite may be true for someone else. Again, this is largely dependent on life experiences and upbringing. Additionally, there is the idea of situational ethics. Ethical standards can change based on the current circumstances one finds themselves confronting. Nevertheless, I believe the values I have been taught or have accepted have provided me with a strong basis to address situational ethical …show more content…
Largely, the military has solidified the values I already had, but also impacted additional ethical values into my ethical portfolio. The primary value the military exposed me to was toleration and integrity. I learned that toleration of questionable ethics is almost, if not the same, as engaging in unethical practices themselves. If one associates themselves with ethically sound individuals and organizations, the issue of toleration should not become as much of a temptation. Furthermore, having integrity is important on all levels. Lying about little things leads to bigger issues. It could even mean the difference between life and death. Who we are and what we do is all based on the decisions, big or small, that we make. Many times these are second and third order effects of our decisions. Understanding these effects is important to ensure a sound ethical lifestyle.

Having integrity allows one to admit they have made a mistake, reconciling when you may have mislead someone, or even being true to one’s self are all critical aspects of honesty and integrity. Sometimes my pride can get in the way of admitting I have done something wrong. However, I am grateful to have friends and family members to hold me accountable for my actions. This concept can go back to surrounding one’s self with the right people and joining ethically sound