TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01 - TRADOC - U.S. Army

TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01one’s own moral conduct and but also refusing to tolerate immoral acts in fellow Soldiers orleaders. It is especially critical for leaders to set the moral climate within their units. Soldierscannot remain passive when they determine that an immoral act has occurred or is going to occur.This includes the ability to foresee the logical consequences one’s actions and the actions ofothers.The Army must develop Soldiers who have the autonomy and capacity to challenge unethicaldecisions and address ethical dilemmas regardless of the will of their subordinates, peers, orsuperiors. When making moral judgments in complex situations followers normally defer to thehigher authority. Disengagement from the responsibility to act explains why subordinatesserving under immoral leaders did not intervene to prevent the My Lai massacre in Vietnam andthe Abu Ghraib abuses in Iraq. It is through moral disengagement that people find excuses fornot doing the right thing, often rationalizing that it is not their responsibility (“I was followingorders” or “everyone else is doing it”), and an almost natural tendency to dehumanize the enemyor local populace through racial slurs or other derogatory terms. Soldiers do not have the optionto recognize moral wrongdoing and then fail to take action. Soldiers with well developed senseof moral agency are better able to recognize the moral implications present in a situation,determine the right thing to do, take responsibility, and summon the courage to do the right thing.Having the confidence, courage, and resilience to act when faced with a moral dilemmarequires moral strength to overcome strong social or command pressures, to “choose the harderright instead of the easier wrong, and never be content with the half truth when the whole can bewon.” 84 Sometimes doing what is right results in threats, ostracism, and alienation from fellowSoldiers and leaders. To face such pressure requires moral confidence and courage.Moral confidence comes from the belief that one has the capability to act successfully in theface of a moral dilemma. It also includes the ability to intervene effectively, using stronginterpersonal skills to communicate the dilemma to others and overcome any potential resistanceto doing the right thing. These skills develop through frequent and deliberate exposure intraining to complex and realistic moral dilemmas followed by open discussion in advance ofdeployment. As Soldiers increase their experience through these situational exercises they refinetheir judgment, which further builds self-confidence. Once deployed, when Soldiers experienceactual moral dilemmas, leaders must continue discussing the circumstances, decisions, andoutcomes in order to help Soldiers make sense of their experiences, improve moral reasoningskills, and build confidence. Over time these experiences transform Soldiers into confident moralindividuals better able recognize and make judgments on complex moral issues, who possess theconfidence and personal moral courage to act in difficult circumstances.The attributes of moral confidence and individual moral courage can thrive only inorganizations with a strong leadership climate supportive of subordinates’ moral development.Soldiers should learn to challenge ethical decisions or report immoral or illegal acts without fearof retribution. Those who report such acts should be recognized, rewarded, and celebrated by theunit. The impact of such an environment on Soldier morale and psychological resilience as wellas unit cohesion is self-evident.70