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Ethical Dilemmas In The Military Research Paper

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Among the challenges faced by the Unites States Military today, none are more common than the task of giving troops the knowledge needed to balance loyalty to their peers and loyalty to a unit or organization. This is not strictly a military issue however with the special focus that society places on the military, members are held to a higher ethical standard when it comes to placing loyalty and "doing the right thing". This becomes an important ethical dilemma because of the difficult decision whether to follow the rules and turn in a peer, or just turn a blind eye because "it couldn't possibly hurt anyone". If situations such as these are examined from a critical perspective, it would not be difficult to immediately pursue punishments as …show more content…

Failure to follow this hierarchy represents a misunderstanding of military principles and opens the door for a lack of good order and discipline. From boot camp, military values are instilled in recruits and their ability to buy into the military system is tested. The realization that they are constantly expected to uphold the standard is forced upon them from day one. Part of this standard is the hierarchy of loyalties which all service members must abide by. Where confusion often occurs is when members rearrange these loyalties to fit their own personal needs rather than the needs of the service. The concept of doing one's duty in the military is not a foreign one to any service member. Despite this, many find it to be a difficult one to act upon when confronted with a dilemma. The easy way is often chosen over the correct way and corners are usually cut. This concept of cheating the system goes against military formality and is in no circumstance allowable. While it is easy to miss a violation of these hierarchy of loyalties, they occur every day in forms that are not easily recognizable. A military professional needs to recognize these circumstances and make a decision which is professionally sound and in accordance with the hierarchy of …show more content…

According to Mill, individual rights should be guaranteed, and these rights should only be restricted when an action could harm another. The dilemma of the Marine on duty is: should he report the incident, or let it slip? Is the action of the underage Marine actually hurting anyone else? Mill states that, "The moral rules which forbid mankind to hurt one another are more vital to human well-being than any maxims, however important." (Mill, Utilitarianism, 132) Under this thinking, it would be reasonable for the sentry to allow the underage Marine pass with the alcohol; it is impermissible to take the alcohol and report the incident as it would harm the Marine's career and therefore the Marine himself. This action however is NOT justified or allowed according to the hierarchy of loyalties. According the Marine Corps doctrine (and even general orders), it is the duty of the individual Marine to report all incidents which occur within sight or hearing when the Marine is on post. This is backed by the hierarchy of loyalties, which state that the mission (in this case, the duties of the sentry) comes before the convenience or friendship bound between these two Marines. This course of action is also more in line with what Burke believed, where liberty

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