Payne Thesis v2 201503329

117 Pages·2015·1.05 MB·English

by  Mark H. Wiggins

THE ARMY ETHIC

A thesis presented to the Faculty of the U.S. Army
Command and General Staff College in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree

MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE
General Studies, Military History, Strategic Studies, Joint Planning Studies, Military
Space Applications, Transformation, Homeland Security Studies, Art of War Scholars

by

MITCHELL A PAYNE, MAJOR, US ARMY
BA, Philosophy, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL, 2004

Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
2015

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must be referred to: Headquarters, CAC and Fort Leavenworth, ATTN: Graduate Degree
Programs, Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027.

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The Army Ethic

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14. ABSTRACT
This thesis examined the CAPE Army Ethic. It uses a three phased approach, first conducting a survey
to determine perceptions of relevancy amont CGSS officers. Second, it uses a comparative analysis to
determine how the CAPE proposed Army Ethic adheres to principles of ethical codes in other
professions and military organizations. Third, it conducts an analysis of the moral principles of the US
Constitution to determine the CAPE proposed Army Ethic’s adherence to the national values as
espoused in the United States’ foundational documents. This anaylsis identified four areas for
improvement in the CAPE proposed Army Ethic. First, CAPE’s ethic does not clearly articulate a
unique professional identity for the profession of arms. Second, the CAPE proposed ethic does not fully
adhere to the US values as espoused in the US Constitution. Third, the CAPE ethic does not account for
operations in the current complex environment. Finally, the CAPE ethic does not sufficiently account
for the necessity of an apolitical military professional. This thesis concludes with recommended
adjustments to the proposed ethic to account for these areas for improvement.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE THESIS APPROVAL PAGE ............ iii

CERTIFICATION FOR MMAS DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT ................................. iv

ABSTRACT .........................................................................................................................v

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................. vii

ACRONYMS ..................................................................................................................... ix

ILLUSTRATIONS ..............................................................................................................x

TABLES ............................................................................................................................ xi

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................1

Background ..................................................................................................................... 3

Problem Statement .......................................................................................................... 6

Primary and Secondary Research Questions .................................................................. 7

Thesis Purpose and Research Outline ............................................................................. 7

Definitions and Key Terms ............................................................................................. 9

Limitations .................................................................................................................... 14

Scope and Delimitations ............................................................................................... 15

Significance of the Study .............................................................................................. 15

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................18

Historical Ethical Schools ............................................................................................. 18

US Joint and Army Doctrine ........................................................................................ 26

Comparative Ethical Codes .......................................................................................... 35

Ancillary Legal and Ethical Documents ....................................................................... 47

United States Foundational Documents ........................................................................ 49

Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 57

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................59

Criteria to Evaluate the Cape Proposed Ethic ............................................................... 59

Section I: Survey Methodology .................................................................................... 59

Survey Methodology Overview .................................................................................... 60

Survey Purpose ............................................................................................................. 60

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Survey Design ............................................................................................................... 61

Survey Sampling Data Rationale .................................................................................. 61

Survey Question Validity .............................................................................................. 63

Survey Relevance ......................................................................................................... 65

Analysis of Constitutional Principles to Identify a Unifying Identity .......................... 65

Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 73

CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS ...................................................................................................74

Does the CAPE proposed ethic meet the criteria set forth in CH 3? ............................ 74

Presentation and Analysis of the Survey ...................................................................... 74

Analysis of the CAPE Proposed Army Ethic ............................................................... 74

CH4, Section 2, Principle 1: Unique Identity ............................................................... 75

CH4, Section 2, Principle 2: Espoused Values ............................................................. 78

CH4, Section 2, Principle 3: Professional Behavior ..................................................... 80

CH4, Section 2, Principle 4: Relationship to Society ................................................... 82

Conclusion: ................................................................................................................... 84

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE STUDY ......87

Topics for Future Research ........................................................................................... 94

Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 95

ILLUSTRATIONS ............................................................................................................97

GLOSSARY ......................................................................................................................98

APPENDIX A CAPE Proposed Army Ethic .....................................................................99

APPENDIX B MOTEN’S PROPOSED ARMY ETHIC ................................................102

APPENDIX C HARTLE’S PROPOSED ARMY ETHIC .............................................105

REFERENCE LIST .........................................................................................................106

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ACRONYMS
ADP Army Doctrine Publication
ADRP Army Doctrine Reference Publication
CAPE Center for the Army Profession and Ethic
CGSS Command and General Staff School
DOD Department of Defense
JER Joint Ethics Regulation
LTC Lieutenant Colonel
UCMJ Uniformed Code of Military Justice
US United States
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ILLUSTRATIONS
Page

Figure 1.
 Graphic Representation of Thesis Overview ........................................................9

Figure 2.
 Survey Question Flow Chart ...............................................................................64

Figure 3.
 The Army Ethic (Revised) ..................................................................................93

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TABLES
Page

Table 1.
  Comparative Analysis of the Principles of Various Professional Ethical Codes 71

Table 2.
  Comparison of Professional Identities ................................................................77

Table 3.
  Comparative Analysis of the Principles of Various Professional Ethical Codes 84

Table 4.
  Recommendations to Improve the CAPE Proposed Ethic ..................................90

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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
A code of ethics . . . cannot be developed overnight by edict or official
pronouncement. It is developed by years of practice and performance of duty
according to high ethical standards. It must be self-policing. Without such a code,
a professional Soldier or a group soon loses its identity and effectiveness.
—SMA Silas L Copland, Third Sergeant Major of the Army1
Certain things we have to do in war are outside our character.2
—LTC (R) Allen West
A quick note about the colors
Green – Means I need to expand on the ideas here, just putting something down
Yellow – Fix the citation somewhere
In April 2003, LTC Allen West commanded 2nd Battalion, 20th Field Artillery
Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. He deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom. While deployed, LTC West interrogated Yehiya Kadoori Hamoodi, an Iraqi
police officer, whom he believed had actionable knowledge of an impending ambush
against the men in LTC West’s battalion. During the course of the interrogation, LTC
West took Mr. Hamoodi outside, put him face down on the ground, and discharged his
service pistol into a nearby clearing barrel. Fearing for his life, Mr. Hamoodi “confessed”
and gave up names, although in later interviews, Mr. Hamoodi claimed that the names

1SMA Silas L Copeland, “The NCO Must Grow with the Army,” in The Sergeants Major
of the Army: On Leadership and the Profession of Arms, ed. Sandra J. Daugherty (Arlington, VA:
Association of the United States Army, 2009), 11 (emphasis added).
2Deborah Sontag, “The Struggle for Iraq: Interrogations,” New York Times, 27 May
2004, accessed 12 September 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/27/world/struggle-for-iraq-
interrogations-colonel-risked-his-career-menacing-detainee.html.
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and information were “made up.”3 Follow on investigations corroborated the fallacious
nature of Mr. Hamoodi’s “confession.”4
When the story broke, LTC West’s chain of command removed him from
command pending an Article 32 investigation. That investigation showed that LTC West
had illegally interrogated an Iraqi citizen, and violated Articles 128 and 134 of the
Uniform Code of Military Justice.5 Had he been found guilty, LTC West could have
faced up to eleven years in prison. Instead, LTC West’s chain of command decided to
pursue non-judicial punishment Article 15 punishment and fined him $5,000. LTC West
pled guilty to the charges, paid the fine, and retired with full benefits after twenty-two
years of military service.
Was Allen West wrong? Members of Congress did not think so. Ninety-five
members of the United States House of Representatives signed and sent a letter to the
Secretary of the Army affirming LTC West’s actions. In the aftermath of his actions,
LTC West received over 2,300 letters and emails from a grateful nation, affirming his
decision to place the lives of his men above “petty regulations.”6 In August 2010,

3Deborah Sontag, “The Struggle for Iraq: Interrogations,” New York Times, 27 May
2004, accessed 12 September 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/27/world/struggle-for-iraq-
interrogations-colonel-risked-his-career-menacing-detainee.html.
4 Deborah Sontag, “The Struggle for Iraq: Interrogations,” New York Times, 27 May
2004, accessed 12 September 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/27/world/struggle-for-iraq-
interrogations-colonel-risked-his-career-menacing-detainee.html.
5U.S. officer fired for harsh interrogation tactics. Published 13 December 2003.
http://web.archive.org/web/20071211102752/http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/12/12/sprj.nirq.west.r
uling/index.html
6 Deborah Sontag, “The Struggle for Iraq: Interrogations,” New York Times, May 27,
2004, accessed September 12, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/27/world/struggle-for-
iraq-interrogations-colonel-risked-his-career-menacing-detainee.html.
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Florida’s 22nd District elected Allen West (R) to the United States House of
Representatives. Was LTC West wrong to make the welfare of his men his primary
mission? Was he wrong to act “outside of his character,” as he put it? Do the exigencies
of war necessitate a change or abandonment of our personal and professional identities?
Background
Military doctrine and government documents clearly outline the responsibilities of
the United States (US) Army. United States Code Title 10 states that the Army “shall be
organized, trained, and equipped primarily for prompt and sustained combat incident to
operations on land. It is responsible for the preparation of land forces necessary for the
effective prosecution of war.”7 ADP-1 “The Army” refines this Title X responsibility and
asserts the Army’s mission as “to fight and win the nation’s wars through prompt and
sustained land combat, as part of the joint force.”8
Within this mission set, two fundamental questions arise: Who are these people
who specialize in the application of violence? How does the American public know that it
can trust them with their safety? These twin questions of identity and trustworthiness
must inform all discussion on military ethics, and especially the formation of a
professional code of ethics. This study will show that professional ethical codes promote
a professional identity, which subsequently informs acceptable and unacceptable
behavior. Without a unifying professional code that clearly identifies what it means to be

7 United States Congress, “The Army,” United States Code Title X (Washington DC:
Government Printing Office, 2011), Section 3062.
8 U.S. Army, The Army, ADP 1 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 2012), 1-
8.
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