...PROFESSION OF ARMS The purpose of this paper is to express a set of views on the ethical obligations of members of the American profession of arms in order to stimulate thoughtful discussion and broader debate about the proper limits of acceptable and effective professional conduct. These views are focused for most part on the obligations of commissioned officers, but they apply in many ways to the public and private conduct of senior non-commissioned officers, and indeed, all military members. They depend to a large degree on a particular understanding of the governing compact of this country and the behavior American citizens expect of their uniformed servants. The overall objective of the Army Profession of Arms campaign is for Soldiers and leaders to refine their understanding of what it means to be professionals expert members of the Profession of Arms after nine years of war and to recommit to a culture of service and the responsibilities and behaviors of our profession as articulated in the Army Ethic. Much of the initial discussion involving this campaign focuses on whether or not military service is a profession. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines a profession as "a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation; a principal calling, vocation, or employment; or the whole body of persons engaged in a calling. Based on the subtle differences between the definitions of a profession and an occupation, I...
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...The profession of arms calls upon the skill and sacrifice of its members in ways that no other profession will. Reflecting upon nine years of combat, the Army is exploring the strengths that have sustained Soldiers and the challenges that they are facing as a profession. The Army has also made a commitment to education, efforts to sustain the bond of trust between the Army and the American public, and the impact of decentralized operations. What it means to be a profession and the unique challenges that the Army faces? I feel you’re not a profession because you say you are. Profession is society’s way of organizing expert work, the kind of work it takes years to learn. Professionals act and practice their knowledge, which is expert knowledge. The professionals’ work is absolutely critical to the survival of the society, going back to the gravity of a Soldier’s expert knowledge. True professionals are servants. They lead a life of servitude for the satisfaction of a job well-done. I feel that the tension in the Army between an occupation-based culture and a profession-based culture. The campaign is seeking to leverage the successes of the Army to maintain it as a profession and avoid becoming an occupation-based culture. I have never seen the Army so focused and as resilient as I see now. What is it about the profession that has helped achieve results in Iraq and increasingly in Afghanistan. In my opinion I recommended that Soldiers recommit themselves to the culture...
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...members of the American profession of arms in order to stimulate thoughtful discussion and broader debate about the proper limits of acceptable and effective professional conduct. These views are focused for most part on the obligations of commissioned officers, but they apply in many ways to the public and private conduct of senior non-commissioned officers, and indeed, all military members. They depend to a large degree on a particular understanding of the governing compact of this country and the behavior American citizens expect of their uniformed servants. The overall objective of the Army Profession of Arms campaign is for Soldiers and leaders to refine their understanding of what it means to be professionals expert members of the Profession of Arms after nine years of war and to recommit to a culture of service and the responsibilities and behaviors of our profession as articulated in the Army Ethic. Much of the initial discussion involving this campaign focuses on whether or not military service is a profession. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines a profession as "a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation; a principal calling, vocation, or employment; or the whole body of persons engaged in a calling. Based on the subtle differences between the definitions of a profession and an occupation, I believe that the dispute regarding the appropriateness of defining the military as a profession revolves around varying...
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...“Yours is the profession of arms, the will to win, the sure knowledge that in war there is no substitute for victory, that if you lose, the Nation will be destroyed, that the very obsession of your public service must be Duty, Honor, Country.” ~ Gen. MacArthur The military is not a Profession. I submit that it is an occupation with professional values, which stands amongst other professions. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines a profession as a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation. To classify the military as a profession would mean that completion of basic training, regardless of individual skill or education level, meets that definition. Officers are required to have completed at least four years of secondary education; however it does not have to be even remotely related to the field that they work. The US military holds a unique standard when compared to other civil and federal organizations. The US Military is a conglomerate of diverse individuals with varying levels of skills and education, who choose to forfeit many of their civil rights and for some more lucrative opportunities in order to serve; many joined because of a sense of a calling, others out of necessity but few if any believed that when they enlisted that they were joining a profession. As a means to instill a level of professionalism, the military instituted the use of the Warrior Ethos in 2003. This was one of the first in a series of steps...
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...After reading “The Profession.Of Arms” (8 Dec 2010) this week, I took some time to really reflect on what it means to be a professional in the United States Army. The Army is a constant evolving organization, always adapting to the needs of our country and the world. The only thing constant in the Army is change. Due to this, we as Soldiers have to be proficient in our MOS. As a Human Resources Specialist (HR), we have a critical position that requires us to be subject matter experts in our field. Soldiers depend on us to handle so many aspects of their careers and to be a valuable resource of information. Soldiers go to their S1 when they need guidance, assistance and information that pertains to themselves, Families and careers. When...
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...The Army a Profession of Arms to its Core Throughout a person’s life they will have many jobs. From those jobs a person can find a unique job that they will inspire them to make a long term developmental commitment. That worker has started the transitioned from an employee to a professional. A Soldier has the same opportunity to develop into a professional in the Army. ADRP 1 The Army Profession defines a profession as” a trusted self-policing and relatively autonomous vocation whose members develop and apply expert knowledge as human expertise to render an essential service to society in a particular field.”1 From this definition there are five aspects that prove the Army is a Profession of Arms. The first aspect is that the Army provides a vital service to society that it cannot provide itself. Federal Statue 10, U.S. Code, Section 3062(a) defines those vital services that the Army provides to the nation .If the Army didn’t provide security or support national polices the nation would be at the mercy of foreign or domestic threats. No other government agencies would be able to provide the same services at the same levels as the Army. The Army provides the services above by applying expert knowledge and practice for the second aspect. Like other professions the Army develops Soldiers in training from initial entry training thru the Army War College. The Army has also established professional development program while encouraging Soldiers seek civilian development...
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...The Profession of Arms: Why do we need a campaign to understand the Profession of Arms and the Professional Soldier? By definition a Profession is “a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation.” The Army has evolved into a profession that is endlessly changing and through time getting more advanced. Being in the Army requires balance, professionalism, trust and respect for operations to run efficiently and effectively while upholding and protecting all standards. Every profession consists of a specific culture and climate related with and ingrained within. Service members and occupations within the Army all have a specific purpose and role in order for the Army to be effective and successful...
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...Elements of the Profession of Arms and Their Impact on the Military Logistician by Major Eric A. McCoy Is military service a profession or an occupation? Is there really a difference? The author argues that there is and that Soldiers definitely are members of a profession. Following the Vietnam War, the Army suffered from an evident depression, particularly within the officer corps and noncommissioned officer corps, that led to a revamping of our professional institutions and doctrine. Observing this process, the late sociologist Charles Moskos theorized that the decline resulted from the Army seeming to develop the characteristics of a civilian occupation rather than the profession it had always considered itself to be. The basic distinction between these two concep-tions of the military lies in their relationship to, and legitimization by, American society. Moskos noted that society legitimizes an institution “in terms of norms and values, a purpose transcending individual self-interest in favor of a presumed higher good. Members of a professional institution are often seen as following a calling captured in words like duty, honor, country.” Conversely, an occupational model receives its legitimacy in terms of the marketplace, where supply and demand are paramount and self-interest takes priority over communal interests.1 A generation later, we find similarities as we assess the impacts of a decade of persistent conflict on the all-volunteer Army. Our Army's senior...
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...Profession of Arms Argumentative Essay A profession is defined as “a type of job that requires special education, training, or skill.” A profession is not like your everyday normal occupation that produces routine repetitive work. It involves producing a unique type of work through effectiveness. Society seeks medical treatment, law and order, and security which are all produced through professions. The United State Army defines itself as a profession of arms because it serves and provides the security sought out by the American public. Yet because of several events from the past decade some believe that the Army has struggled to maintain its standards as a profession of Arms and no longer consider the Army as such. I believe that in the fact the United State Army is a profession of Arms and it is due to the definition of a profession, the Army’s professional culture, and the American public opinion. I will be discussing why I believe this to be so as outlined in the “Profession of Arms White Paper.” As stated in the Merriam-Webster definition a profession requires special education, training, and skills. The Army is a profession of arms that is an expert at educating and producing the most highly effective trained and skillful professional Soldiers. The Army develops Soldiers and leaders throughout their careers of service to aspire to be experts and use their lethal expertise, both as individuals and as units, with the highest standards of character, for the defense...
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...JULY 2013 SUBJECT: Summary of the Army White Paper: A Profession of Arms 1. Purpose: To summarize the Army White Paper: A Profession of Arms and capture the thesis, main points, and objective of the writer. 2. Facts: a. The author notes the purpose of his writing in the beginning prologue, “This White Paper serves to facilitate an Army-wide dialog about our Profession of Arms. It is neither definitive nor authoritative, but a starting point with which to begin discussion.” He alludes to future refinement of the paper once TRADOC receives feedback from the Army community. b. Organized into five sections, A Profession of Arms begins by defining “Profession” and its implications to the Army. The paper then delves into the Army’s “Professional Culture,” before discussing the effects of “Army Ethics” in developing that culture. Lastly, it analyzes the role of U.S. society in the development of Army ethics and culture. The paper concludes with possible future changes in the meaning “Profession of Arms” after a decade of war and a request to begin a community dialogue on this topic. c. To start the discussion, the author defines Profession when he states, “Professions produce uniquely expert work, not routine or repetitive work.” He continues by describing truly expert work as taking years of study and practice. The writer transitions into how the Army is an “American Profession of Arms, a vocation comprised of experts certified in the ethical application...
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...The Role of the Human Resources Sergeant in The Profession of Arms Staff Sergeant John Marple 42A3O, ALC Phase I, Class 002 Instructor Sergeant First Class Tim Fields September, 3 2015 An Army White Paper, The Profession of Arms The United States Army is a Profession of Arms. The Army consists of unique experts that require years of study and practice to become professionals. Society is dependent on these professionals for the security of this great nation. Human Resources Sergeants are one of the many professionals in the Profession of Arms. Soldiers are expected to kill or give their life in this profession. The Human Resources Sergeant may not be a highly trained killer, but he or she is no less important in the profession. The Human Resources Sergeant is a vital role in the Profession of Arms. A profession is an occupation that requires the mastery of complex skills or knowledge. The Profession of Arms is different because of its use of lethal means. This difference causes challenges building trust with the American people. The Army must constantly re-earn the trust of Americans through our ethics. Each Soldier must live the Army values each and every day to ensure this trust. Soldiers must continue to master their occupational skills. The Army’s Profession of Arms provides a vital role to the safety of the United States....
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...A Profession is not something that everyone thinks about, so they truly don’t know the meaning. To most a profession is just routine and comfortability in a position. Profession is built with experience and knowledge about the occupation at hand. Profession of Arms, is not just that Soldiers can do their jobs, and go into combat. Professions are earned in the trust of their clients, and has to be re-earned every day; to the armed forces that would be, the people of the United States. The generation of the WWII set the standard of what profession is. Respect through the ranks, civilian employees, and the American people. Americans never had any doubt who would protect their country. Profession is not based on pay, it’s the camaraderie, and honor to serve. It is...
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...For many years, scholars have debated over whether the Profession of Arms is in fact a profession by definition. To truly understand, first it is important to define the criteria that qualifies a profession, and then analyze if the Army does in fact meet these standards. The criteria for being considered a profession are to operate within an ethical code, to make a lifetime commitment to professional development, and to maintain constant evolution to ensure the trust of clients. The Army of the United States meets this criteria, and to be a member of the Army means to commit oneself to a lifetime of learning, developing, and being a servant to the people of the United States. Within a profession, a moral or ethical code can be defined as “unwavering, deeply held values on which to base its Ethic. Those values, when well internalized, are manifested in the character of individual professionals.” The Army is designed to enforce moral and ethical standards among the ranks throughout the entirety of a Soldier’s career. This begins at basic training with the inculcation of the seven Army values, the Soldier’s Creed, and the Warrior’s Ethos. It is reiterated throughout a Soldier’s career through training on morality, equal opportunity, and a wide array of other topics. Furthermore, it is put into practice on a daily basis, and conduct seemingly unbecoming is a punishable offense. Finally, it is put into practice during combat, through the utilization of rules of engagement. These...
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...THE ARMY PROFESSION AND THE AMERICAN CULTURE USAACE NCOA SSG John Krimes 15Z SLC 14-002 SFC Holmes “You are all leaders! And since you have no one to lead, you will lead yourselves!” These are the words that our Drill Instructor screamed at us at boot camp. The Profession of Arms or the Army Profession is found on leadership (Dempsey, n.d.). The Army Profession is unlike any other profession. The people of the greatest world-power depend on its military and its ability to protect their lands and their way of life. The Army Profession has very little room for mistakes and must continuously improve its knowledge of the profession in the changing face of technologies, enemy tactics and a changing American culture. Just as a doctor takes an oath to preserve life, so does a member of the American Armed Forces. The Army Profession is held to the highest standards. The U.S. Army is federally bonded by the U.S. Congress to preserve the peace and security of the U.S., to provide defense for the U.S., and to overcome any nation responsible for aggressive acts that imperil the peace and security of the U.S. (An Army White Paper, 2010). The preservation of peace and security can come at great costs. Members of the Armed Forces are aware of the potential ultimate sacrifice of not only themselves but of their men and women. Training in technical skills and leadership are not taken lightly. It is understood that knowledge in skill-sets and the perpetual education of...
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...THE ARMY AS A PROFESSION After a decade of United States military action soldiers enjoy widespread public appreciation. The public consensus that the Army is the world’s most effective fighting force and protects US interests. Soldiers’ high level of training, use of superior equipment and dedication to duty increases effectiveness. These traits define Army soldiers as members in a profession of arms. To understand why the Army is a profession of arms we define profession, examine alternate points of view, and show how the Army meets that definition. Samuel P. Huntington’s defining characteristics of a profession include expertise, responsibility and corporateness. Expertise is a widely understood concept as it applies to one’s occupation. Greater expertise is necessary in occupations requiring higher order of thought. Responsibility is being accountable but also implies reliability. Corporateness is a concept that members of a group identify each other as distinct from laymen. Huntington’s definition is widely accepted and applied to other professions like the clergy or attorneys. Other theories of professionalism may undermine the belief the Army is a profession. The professions theory asserts bureaucracy constrains individuals. Therefore, professionals avoid bureaucracy. The Army is a large bureaucracy and if this idea is accepted it is logical to believe that it is not professional because of the immense bureaucratic restraint. However, the nature...
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