The Army as a Profession

Kristopher D. Daupert

March 04, 2014

When we try to determine whether the Army is a “Job” or a “Profession”, we must first define those two terms. The Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines a “Job” as “the work that a person does regularly in order to earn money” and a “Profession” as “a type of job that requires special education, training, or skill” . The main difference is some form of special education and training is required to be considered a profession and those same requirements are not necessary in order to have a job. For example, there is a hotdog vendor that sells hotdogs on the corner of a busy downtown street. No special education or training is required to do this job; conversely an architect designs buildings in that same downtown. The architect is required to have special education and usually attends other training throughout their career. To further clarify this point, one could go to the architect to buy a hotdog, but one would not seek out that hotdog vendor to design a building. Based on these definitions, the Army is a “Profession”. When a Soldier starts out in the Army, the individual attends what is the initial entry training that is where they start their special education and training. They learn basic soldiering skills along with learning the Army values and ethics. The Soldiers then continues their special education and training by completing advanced initial training. This usually consists of specialized training in the area of their Military Occupational Specialty which is the main job they will do while in the Army. While these two different types of training are completed early in their Army career, their education and training does not conclude at that point. As the Soldier continues their career, they must attend other training that requires them to hone their leadership skills and learn more about their occupational specialty. Now that we know the how the Army fits the definition of a profession. How does the Army matchup characteristically with other professional organizations? According to Nirav S author of “What are the important characteristics of a profession”, there are ten characteristics:
1. It demands possession of a body of specialized knowledge and extended practical training.
2. It renders an essential social service.
3. It demands continuous in service training of its members.
4. It has a clearly defined membership of a particular group with a view to safe- guarding the interests of the profession.
5. It involves a code of ethics.
6. It sets up its own professional organization.
7. It assures its members a professional career.
8. It has a truth and loyalty.
9. It has a transparency of work.
10. It gives instantaneous results.
The Army as a profession matches up with most if not all these characteristics. In the Army, the Soldier possess specialized knowledge within their Military Occupational Specialty and continues to receive other training within their specialty throughout their career. Also, when the Soldier continues to educate themselves, they are rewarded by giving preference in getting that next promotion. In addition, the Army renders a social service to a client, which is the American society, by protecting its citizen’s rights and territories around the world. They render their services to the nation when there is a national disaster. Next, a Soldier who enters the Army is taught to live and adhere to the Army values and ethics. If they choose not to do so, the Army will separate them from its organization. Finally, as with all governmental agencies the Army as an organization must keep its work transparent. This is done by holding different inspections from those internal to the organization and external and by keeping accurate records.
So as we have seen the Army as a profession not only meets the definition, but it also has all the characteristics one would want in a professional organization. There will always be individuals who will try to deny that the Army is just a job, but their argument just will not hold water based on the facts presented here. The Soldier is a proud professional who will do what is takes to make a career in an organization that has been around longer than the country itself.

End Notes “job.”Merriam-Webster.com.2014. hhtp://www.merriam-webster.com (27Feb2014). “profession.”Merriam-Webster.com.2014. hhtp://www.merriam-webster.com (27Feb2014). Nirav S, “What are the important characteristics of a profession,” Preserve Articles, Jan 2012, http://www.preservearticles.com (accessed February 27, 2014). Ibid Ibid Ibid Ibid Ibid Ibid Ibid Ibid Ibid

Bibliography

Merrian-Webster. Accessed February 27, 2014. Http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/citation.
S, Nirav. "What Are the Important Characteristics of a Profession." Preserve Articles. http://www.preservearticles.com. 27 Feb. 2014.