Mil ethics 021413

A fairy tale, once upon a time military officers honored a code of ethics. In the 21st century a few still try to live by this code, the many however, are now “rational maximizers,” short for I’m above that and what‘s in it for me.

Officers now receive advance schooling on manipulation of public opinion, lying and cover-ups.  In the closed military culture senior leadership matured as a politically dynamic force in power politics.  Generals hang up their uniforms and slide into civil government and military industrial complexes, carrying their outside any law attitude, infecting the national ethical infrastructures. 

Junior officers see the rewards of ethical failures and either leave or embrace the culture. Colonels rationalize unethical behavior as in the interest of their greater good, a fast track to stars.  Criminal behavior is justified and stamped top secret as national security issues. Victims of military abuses have long memories and there is no statue of limitations.  Secret files will eventually be opened and recently the military crimes during the colonial era have begun to appear in distant courts.

The inhabitants’ of the Pentagon, America’s military citadel, are increasingly viewing themselves as a Praetorian Guard defending American mythology of exceptionalism. 
Remember the Praetorians became synonymous with intrigue, conspiracy, disloyalty, assassination and the fall of Rome.   History also shows that dissatisfied colonels stage coups, where better to begin than assignments to the citadel.

As the military infiltrates more and more into civil government and society Praetorians become kingmakers while defending their own prerogatives.  In a step away from ethics, uniformed officers campaigned for supporters of militarization in the last election.  The Pentagon lobbied for legislation authorizing military arrest and indefinite secret detention of any U.S. citizen in America. (The Commander in Chief has so far refused to authorize implementation, but the law is on the books.)   While some ethical failures have recently been exposed, the military has blitzed justifications and ignored calls for reforms.

Pentagon bureaucrats have embraced a couple of political reforms.  Women may now hold combat commands that are increasingly for remote controlled wars.  A new high award, the DWM (Distinguished Warfare Medal) has been authorized for bravery thousands of miles from the line of fire.  It is only a matter of time before the Purple Heart is awarded for paper cuts.   The Medal of Honor still requires the sound of real bullets but that may soon include virtual bullets.  These reforms insult the heroes and casualties of past conflicts but they will make the recipients more politically viable.  Unethical behavior is rationalized while real soldiers and civilians continue to bleed.

Draft armies are not the most efficient but do reflect their social culture, rather than that of an unethical and uncontrollable military safely behind the citadel’s stone walls.