WHERE IS
THE FULL MEASURE OF LEADERSHIP IN THE ARMY'S CURRENT 7 CORE VALUES?
The U.S. Army was the first to strike back at Japan in WWII with Doolittle's
B-25s launching off the carrier decks of the USS Hornet; an act that
required ALERTNESS, EXCELLENCE and INNOVATION not included in the Army's
current core values. Alertness to launch early when detected by a Japanese
fishing vessel. Excellence to perfect flying skills to get medium bombers off
carrier decks at sea without catapults. Innovation to boldly combine two war
equipments together to strike back at the unexpecting enemy. How will we win on
the future battlefield if the men behind the sensors are not as strong as they
were back then?
I'm reading my 7 Army core values on my key chain and the
anger is building inside me....
What
conformity nonsense fed to us by old men! "Respect",
"Honor" and "Integrity" are the same thing. They are synonymns
of each other. Take a look at #8 below:
hon*or
[1] (noun)
[Middle
English, from Old French honor, from Latin honos, honor]
First
appeared 13th Century [Editor: does that mean we had no honor before the 13th
Century??????]
1
a : good name or public esteem : REPUTATION
b
: a showing of usu. merited respect : RECOGNITION
2
: PRIVILEGE
3
: a person of superior standing -- now used esp. as a title for a holder of
high office
4
: one whose worth brings respect or fame : CREDIT
5
: the center point of the upper half of an armorial escutcheon
6
: an evidence or symbol of distinction: as
a
: an exalted title or rank
b
(1) : BADGE, DECORATION
(2)
: a ceremonial rite or observance
c
: an award in a contest or field of competition
d
archaic : a gesture of deference : BOW
e
plural (1) : an academic distinction conferred on a superior student
(2)
: a course of study for superior students supplementing or replacing a regular
course
7
: CHASTITY, PURITY
8
a : a keen sense of ethical conduct : INTEGRITY
b
: one's word given as a guarantee of performance
9
plural : social courtesies or civilities extended by a host
10
a (1) : an ace, king, queen, jack, or ten esp. of the trump suit in bridge
2)
: the scoring value of honors held in bridge -- usu. used in pl.
b
: the privilege of playing first from the tee in golf
synonym
HONOR, HOMAGE, REVERENCE, DEFERENCE mean respect and esteem shown to another.
HONOR may apply to the recognition of one's right to great respect or to any
expression of such recognition
synonym
see in addition HONESTY
Why put the same value in there 3 times, then?
Because
there is likely a hidden "agenda" in these 7 core values, the old men
who wrote the 7 Army core values over-emphasis these values to reflect ther own
personal bias, a prejudice that wants you to be a weak, co-dependant person
worried so much about his reputation (Honor) that he "licks the
boots" of his superiors (Respect) and who feels guilty if you do not do
this (Integrity). A vain, politically-correct person making sure to not
"rock the boat". The 7 core values are a result of some minor public
embarassments the Army has had in the area of sexual harassment that pale in
comparison to reckless behavior like flying a jet into a cable car gondola and
killing 20 innocent people. We have long needed a clear code of honor in our
military, but it needs to be a REAL ONE that prevents disasters that KILL
PEOPLE (not just hurt their feelings) that come from systemic failures and
robotics. This is where a code of honor can do us and the nation the most
good---to insure personal and institutional excellence is achieved BEFORE this
"value" is forced on us by body-bags, embarassment and lost wars. The
current 7 core Army values seem to be an abominable PC manipulation to get
Gen-X/Y to "behave" and "stay in your lane" by those who
have done just that and were rewarded by superior rank while those that gave a
damn about the organization brought up problems, and had their careers ended
along with their solutions. The men will follow the Army by it EARNING this
trust/confidence by being a just and morally sound organization that inspires
them to follow its path because its necessary, because IT MUST BE DONE. Its no
surprise the troops are not impressed that this faulty acronym L-D-R-S-H-I-P
fails to spell out into L-E-A-D-E-R-S-H-I-P even as a memory device or as a Leadership
philosophy for the U.S. Army.
Where
is the INITIATIVE/INNOVATION, the energy to take action in the absence of
orders and breaking untrod ground achieving NEW CAPABILITIES?
Where
is the tactical EXCELLENCE to come up with the war winning force structure and
units that beats the enemy to the punch so we don't have any more Task Force
Smiths?
Where
is the boldness and courage to be anything but "business-as-usual"
BS?
Where
is the HUMILITY, to admit to problems, learn from our mistakes, not bragging
and disrespecting others? Before there is "honor" there must be
HUMILITY.
It's
not there, but it needs to be there.
Thus,
we propose that we have a FULL x 10 U.S. Army core values that spell out into
the correct word/acronym L-E-A-D-E-R-S-H-I-P and not the "boot-licking
7". We folded Integrity into Humility/Honor where it belongs and added
EXCELLENCE, ALERTNESS and INNOVATION to make a FULL 10 Army core values
spelling out into L-E-A-D-E-R-S-H-I-P. Here is what U.S. Army values should and
need to be:
Loyalty:
Bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit,
and other Soldiers.
Gordon & Shughart,
Munemori, Pitcher, Washington and Williams
Excellence:
everything that is "U.S. Army" is the best; in terms of effort,
creativity, thoroughness at every level
everything must be second to none
Alertness:
problems are seen and corrected immediately using initiative, we are not an
Army of robots, the German word Auftfragstatik or
"mission orders" is another "A" word that goes here
The
sad fact is that the U.S. Army is currently on a
12-hour day treadmill that creates brain-dead robots and across-the-board
mediocrity. Half the day is wasted doing sports PT and then the other half
is wasted doing lawn care on BUILDINGS. You don't attack the "gates of
hell" with buildings. Buildings are NOT weapon systems. We get up before
the sun so we can brag that we do more than the average civilian but in
actuality drag out 2 hours of work into a 12 plus hour day and wonder why when
our Soldiers don't get the equired 6-10 hours of sleep a day that they are
dying in motor vehicle accidents? We talk a lot about "taking care of
Soldiers" and "accomplishing the mission" in excellent ideals
like the NCO Creed but
the daily reality proves otherwise.
Duty:
Fulfill your moral obligations.
Enthusiasm:
Soldiers accomplish the mission with optimism and
cameraderie towards their fellow warriors
U.S. Army ADA magazine online, great
magazine!
Respect:
Treat people as they should be treated.
Selfless
service: Put the welfare of the nation, the Army, and your subordinates before
your own.
Barker,
Walker, Johnson, Lozada and Red Cloud
Humility
& honor: the integrity to do see the truth and admit mistakes and do what
is morally sound at all times, this is not a personal vanity or pre-occupation
with your reputation before men, but your expected behavior evaluated by a just
and Holy Creator who has given you a life and a mission to fulfill. To be a
"straight shooter".
Benavidez , Miyamura, Mize,
Neibaur, Ochs, Pililaau and Wheelock
Innovation
and Initiative: the U.S. Army leads the way with tactical firsts; like the airplane, the tank, the repeating rifle,
the nuclear bomb, Airborne
warfare, the the airdroppable, amphibious,
all-terrain Armored Personnel Carrier, the Recoilless
Rifle, the Anti-Tank
Guided Missile, body and head armor, the Attack Helicopter, Air Assault warfare,
Night Vision Devices, solving the Soldier's load
and now Air-Mech-Strike
and the digitized Soldier...innovation
must take place in all the ranks, at all levels...ALL THE TIME!
U.S. Army
innovation-in-action!
Initiative---a
by product of ALERTNESS. The
U.S. Army NCO Creed says: "I will exercise initiative by taking
appropriate action in the absence of orders.", yet Initiative is NOT
currently an Army core value. This is wrong and should be changed immediately.
Personal
courage: the strength of character--the CONVICTION to win the
battles before us against an entrenched bureaucracy and egotistical people who
are stuck in old paradigms of the status quo BEFORE we have another "Task
Force Smith" or "Beirut" or "Pearl Harbor". To stay in the profession of arms and NOT GIVE UP despite
personal setbacks.
Blanchfield,
Carney and Knappenberger
This
is not the first time that corrupt doctrine writers have tried to destroy the
warrior spirit in our Army, the 1983 edition of FM 22-100 Leadership manual had
a vivid description of the Courtney Massengale-type
assholes who populate our military and in the next edition this description
what NOT to be, know or do was removed. I guess it struck too close to home for
some. Well you can't kill the truth! As soon as we get a hold of a copy of the
correct leadership manual, 1983 edition, we are going to post verbatum here on
this web page what the current corrupters don't want you to see.
BACKGROUND:
CHAPTER
6
http://216.239.51.100/search?q=cache:eTJC9b2sRc4C:call.army.mil/products/cachist/leav-94/chp6.htm+1983+edition+leadership+fm+22-100&hl=en
Boyd
Harris and Leadership at CGSC
While
some members of DCOM's Committee on Leadership and Ethics directed their
attention toward developing a common OBC curriculum, others wrote and taught
the first mandatory CGSC leadership course first in 1981-1982. The Deputy
Commandant, Brigadier General R. H. Forman, sought advice from Major Boyd M.
Harris, enrolled in the Command and General Staff Officers Course (CGSOC) in
1980, about the course. He was already known as one with a fundamental and
comprehensive understanding of the subject. Within three years, he was the
primary author of the new edition of FM 22-100: Military Leadership.(239)
Major
Harris had training and experience in both leadership schools of thought, the
behavioral science and command experience approaches. He was a paratrooper and
a ranger who served in Vietnam as a platoon leader and company commander. He
also earned an MS in psychology and attended the Center for Creative
Leadership, a nonprofit agency which trained Army general officers. In the
mid-1970s, he taught the art of leadership at the Infantry School and West
Point. At the latter, he was a member of the departments representing the
competing philosophies. He was the only tactical officer selected to teach in
the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership.(240)
Harris
used his Vietnam experience as a case study to
present problems for solution in the CGSC leadership course. He concluded that
although young officers in general, and CGSC students in particular, might know
basic principles, they lacked a "coherent conceptual framework and a sound
knowledge of the lessons of leadership found in military history [and]
literature."(241)
In
November 1981, Harris outlined a leadership framework for TRADOC, not just the
CGSC. He called it a be, know, do concept. Simultaneously, he helped revise the
leadership course. The course originally involved each student in a leadership
style and philosophy self-assessment, stressed analysis of contemporary leaders
and academic theories of leadership added a doctrinal-historical-applied
approach. It used three case studies to force students to wrestle with problems
that impeded a healthy leadership and ethical climate in and out of combat. He
added readings about his favorite leadership example, Colonel Joshua
Chamberlain, commander of the 20th Maine at the Battle of Gettysburg.(242)
In
1981, he was the primary author of a new edition of FM 22-100, the fifth
attempt to revise the leadership manual. He did not try to write a capstone
manual, but chose to apply the ideas and methods used in the CGSC course to
company level leadership. He laced his manual with concepts about leadership
roles and responsibilities regardless of rank.(243)
Criticisms
included opposition to his priority on the ethical intangibles of character.
With comments like "the Army is an action agency not a church or
university," some critics wanted more of "how to do" and less of
the "what to be." Others criticized the historical vignettes and
examples complaining it was more like a novel than an Army manual.(244)
Harris'
concept of Army leadership resembled leadership in corporate or academic terms,
but was based on core Army values. He defined leadership as "the process
by which a leader influences others to accomplish a mission." This
included four elements, (1) setting the example, (2) developing plans and
policies, reaching decisions, organizing, controlling, setting the example,
communicating and evaluating because these actions directly and indirectly
influence the values and behavior of people in an organization, (3) applying
analytical processes and methods to assist in efficient and effective resource
requirements determination and effective use of the resources and (4) technical
and tactical competence, leading to confident leaders and confident
Soldiers.(245)
At
his urging, the draft was circulated throughout the Army to survey younger
leaders. Eighty percent of the captains and noncommissioned officers surveyed
reported the manual was informative, interesting, and effective. More than 90 %
liked its use of history and fiction. Several general officers, including
Lieutenant General Maxwell R. Thurman, Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel
(DCSPER), found it provocative and interesting because of the case history
approach. The Army published this version of FM 22-100 in October 1983.(246)
If you do not agree with the current, immoral,
stay-in-you-lane, PC, anti-tell-it-like-it-is, anti-innovation, Courtney
Massengalesue tainted U.S. Army values, go to the "official" Army
Values web site here and email them and suggest that they return morality into
our values.
http://www-cgsc.army.mil/cal/values/values2/default.htm
Another
excellent internet resource is the outstanding report, "Professionalism
and Ethics in the U.S. Army Officer Corps, 1968-1975" by Erik Blaine RikerColeman,
UNC Chapel Hill, 1997:
Until
we have a clear, comprehensive honor code that condemns yes-man and egotistical
behavior that EVERY Soldier carries in his BDU pocket which he is trained and
tested on annually and that ANY Soldier can be court-martialled for violating
it to include General Officers when they say air-filled rubber-tired armored
cars with thin 1/2 inch bodies are 14.5mm and RPG protected we will not have a
sense of honor in our Army. When General Officers have to abide by an honor
code then we will have restored faith within the ranks and have ethics in the
U.S. Army. Our proposal is below based on many inputs from many Soldiers and
works like LTC Paul Savage and Richard Gabriel's book, "Crisis in
Command":
PROPOSED U.S. ARMY HONOR CODE FOR ALL SOLDIERS
The
main ethical base for our proposed U.S. Army Ethos comes from the adult IDF
ethos which is below for comparison.
THE
ISRAELI EXAMPLE: A MILITARY WITH A SENSE OF HONOR
Official IDF
Ethics Home Page
Maz's snipers
The
U.S. Army should adapt the superb IDF ethos and write a version for the U.S.
Army Soldier.
Israel
Defence Force military Doctrine
MISSION
TO DEFEND THE EXISTENCE, TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AND SOVEREIGNTY OF THE
STATE OF ISRAEL. TO PROTECT THE INHABITANTS OF ISRAEL AND TO COMBAT ALL FORMS
OF TERRORISM WHICH TREATEN THE DAILY LIFE.
SECURITY
DOCTRINE
Basic
Points
*
Israel cannot afford to lose a single war
* Defensive on the strategic level, no territorial ambitions
* Desire to avoid war by political means and a credible deterrent posture
* Preventing escalation
* Determine the outcome of war quickly and decisively
* Combating terrorism
The Operational Level
Defensive
Strategy - Offensive Tactics
Prepare for Defense
A small standing army with an early warning capability, regular air force and
navy
An efficient reserve mobilization and transportation system
Move to Counter-Attack
Multi-arm coordination
Transferring the battle to enemy's territory quickly
Quick attainment of war objectives
Capabilities
Intelligence
High capability to destroy mobile targets
Long-range capabilities
Anti-missile defense
All-weather and low-visibility capabilities
Advanced training systems
Main Areas of Activity
Continuous
high state of readiness for war
Anti-terrorist warfare
Combating terrorism by Palestinian rejectionist groups
Building the armed forces for the future battlefield
ETHICS
The
Spirit of the IDF The Ethical Code of the Israel Defense Forces
The
Spirit of the IDF is an expression of the identity , values and norms of the
IDF. It underlies every action performed in the IDF by each and every
serviceman and servicewoman. (Hereafter the term servicemen will be construed
as applying to both servicemen and servicewomen.)
The
Spirit of the IDF comprises eleven core IDF values. It defines and
presents the essence of each of them, and includes basic principles which
express these values.
The
Spirit of the IDF draws its values and basic principles from three traditions:
The
tradition of the Jewish People throughout its history.
The
tradition of the State of Israel, its democratic principles, laws and
institutions.
The
tradition of the IDF and its military heritage as the Israel Defense Forces.
The
Spirit of the IDF is the ethical code by which all IDF enlisted personnel,
officers, units and corps act. It is the norm to guide them in forming their
patterns of behavior. They are expected to educate and critically evaluate
themselves and others in accordance with these values and principles.
The
complex nature of military activity in general, and combat in particular, may
generate tensions with the values and basic principles of The Spirit of the
IDF, and may raise problems of judgment about the proper balance needed between
theory and practice.
The
obligation to fulfill the mission and ensure military victory will be the
compass guiding any effort to balance these values and basic principles of The
Spirit of the IDF. The striving for proper balance according to this compass
will make it possible to preserve the IDF as a body of high quality, imbued
with values, and which fulfills its duties and missions appropriately.
Perserverance in Mission
The
IDF serviceman will fight and conduct himself with courage in the face of all
dangers and obstacles; he will persevere in his mission courageously,
resolutely and thoughtfully even to the point of endangering his own life.
The
perseverance of IDF servicemen in their mission is their capability and
readiness to fight courageously in the face of danger and in most challenging
situations; to strive unremittingly to achieve the military goal effectively,
with full regard for the particular circumstances, notwithstanding any
difficulty, stress or adversity or even mortal danger. They will do so with
proper judgment and with due regard for risks.
Comradeship
The
IDF serviceman will always go to the aid of his comrades when they need his
help or depend on him, despite any danger or difficulty, even to the point of
risking his life.
The
fellowship of IDF servicemen is their bond as comrades in arms. It is their
unwavering commitment to each other, their readiness to extend appropriate
assistance, to go to the aid of a comrade, and even risk their lives on his
behalf. In all their actions they will uphold and strengthen the solidarity of
their unit in full cooperation with other units, and in support of the overall
goals of the IDF.
Discipline
The
IDF serviceman will execute completely and successfully all that is required of
him according to the letter and spirit of his orders and within the framework
of the law.
The
discipline of IDF servicemen is their readiness to act to the full extent of their
abilities, to carry out what is demanded of them completely, according to their
understanding of the letter of the orders they have received, and successfully,
according to the spirit of their orders. It is their readiness to obey orders
amidst a constant striving to execute them with understanding and dedication.
They will take care to issue only legal orders, and disavow manifestly illegal
orders.
Human Life
The
IDF serviceman will, above all, preserve human life, in the recognition of its
supreme value and will place himself or others at risk solely to the extent
required to carry out his mission.
The
sanctity of life in the eyes of the IDF servicemen will find expression in all
of their actions, in deliberate and meticulous planning, in safe and
intelligent training and in proper execution of their mission. In evaluating
the risk to self and others, they will use the appropriate standards and will
exercise constant care to limit injury to life to the extent required to
accomplish the mission.
Loyalty
The
IDF serviceman will act with complete dedication in the defense of the State of
Israel and its citizens, according to IDF orders, within the framework of the
laws of the State and democratic principles.
The
loyalty of IDF servicemen is their dedication, in all actions, to their
homeland, the State of Israel, its citizens and armed forces, and their
constant readiness to fight and devote all their power, even at the risk of
their own lives, in the defense of the sovereign State of Israel and the lives
and the safety of its inhabitants, according to the values and orders of the
IDF, while following the laws and the democratic principles of the State.
Personal Example
The
IDF serviceman will comport himself as is required of him and will, himself,
act as he demands of others, thoughtfully and dedicatedly, aware of his ability
and responsibility to serve as a role model to those around him.
The
personal example of the IDF servicemen is their acting as is demanded of them
and as they themselves demand of others, their clear and convincing readiness
to serve as an example to those around them, in their actions and comportment,
to create, uphold and foster mutual identification and joint responsibility in
properly carrying out their tasks and accomplishing their missions in all areas
of military activity.
Professionalism
The
IDF serviceman will aspire to be familiar with and understand
the body of knowledge pertaining to his military position and will master
every skill necessary for carrying out his duties.
The
professionalism of IDF servicemen is their ability to correctly perform their
military duties through striving to constantly excel in and improve their
unit's and their individual achievements. They will do so by broadening their
knowledge, and increasing proficiency, based upon the lessons of experience and
study of the heritage and by expanding and deepening their understanding of the
body of military knowledge.
Purity of Arms
The
IDF serviceman will use force of arms only for the purpose of subduing the
enemy to the necessary extent and will limit his use of force so as to prevent
unnecessary harm to human life and limb, dignity and property.
The
IDF servicemen's purity of arms is their self-control in use of armed force.
They will use their arms only for the purpose of achieving their mission,
without inflicting unnecessary injury to human life or limb; dignity or
property, of both Soldiers and civilians, with special consideration for the
defenseless, whether in wartime, or during routine security operations, or in
the absence of combat, or times of peace.
Representativeness
The
IDF serviceman will constantly see himself as a representative and an emissary
of the IDF. As such he will act solely on the basis of the authority he has
been given and orders he has been issued.
The
representativeness of IDF servicemen is their consciousness, expressed in all
their actions, that the armed force placed in their hands and the power to use
it are given to them only as members of the IDF and its authorized representatives,
duly executing their orders in accordance with the laws of the State of Israel
and is subject to its Government.
Responsibility
The
IDF serviceman will see himself as an active participant in the defense of his
country and its citizens. He will carry out his duties decisively, resolutely
and with vigor, within the limits of his authority.
The
responsibility of IDF servicemen is their active partnership and their
readiness to use their utmost abilities in the defense of the State, its sovereignty,
and the lives and safety of its citizens, within the framework of authority
granted them by the IDF. They will carry out their duties fully, diligently,
and with determination, commitment and initiative, in clear awareness that they
are answerable for any consequences.
Trustworthiness
The
IDF serviceman will strive in all his actions to fulfill his duties correctly
and at the highest professional level, from exacting and thorough preparation
through to true, honest, complete and precise reporting.
The
trustworthiness of IDF servicemen is their reliability in fully carrying out
their charge, using their military skills, with the sincere belief and
conviction that they are acting professionally. They are ready at all times to
present things as they are, in planning, executing and reporting truthfully,
completely, courageously and honestly.
Basic Principles
Values
The
IDF serviceman will, in all his actions and conduct, express the basic values
of the IDF:
Perseverance
in the mission, comradeship, discipline, respect for human life, loyalty,
personal example, professionalism, purity of arms, representativeness,
responsibility, and trustworthiness, as defined above and as appropriate to the
specific circumstances.
The
IDF serviceman, when acting in the framework of his military role, will be ever
cognizant that he bears responsibility not only for the outcomes of his acts
and omissions, but also for the patterns of behavior which they help to create,
whether by order or personal example, by direct or indirect influence, whether
intentionally or unintentionally.
On Military Service
The
IDF serviceman will view himself, in each of his actions, as bearing full
responsibility for the lives and safety of the servicemen and all others who
are dependent on his actions or decisions.
The
IDF serviceman will be ready to place his own life at risk when confronting the
enemy or to save human life to the extent required, but he will preserve his
own life and that of others in all other military situations.
The
IDF serviceman will take into account, in every practical context, not only the
proper concern for human life, but also the influence his actions may have on
the physical well-being and spiritual integrity and dignity of others.
The
IDF serviceman will endeavor fully to exercise his capabilities as called upon
in accordance with the priorities assigned by the IDF to combat, command,
combat support and combat service support roles.
The
IDF serviceman, in all his actions, will take care to uphold the honor of the
State, its institutions, monuments and symbols, including the honor of the IDF
and its symbols.
The
IDF serviceman will show special respect for the fallen of the IDF. The
serviceman will behave with deference in ceremonies, at memorial sites, and at
memorial and honor ceremonies, and will treat bereaved families with proper
respect.
The
IDF serviceman will maintain the tradition of the IDF by showing honor and
respect for IDF wounded and disabled.
The
IDF serviceman will maintain the tradition of the IDF, will study the IDF's
military heritage and will promote esprit de corps.
The
IDF serviceman will carry out his military activities without obtruding his
personal views in matters beyond his sphere of responsibility, authority and
professional expertise. He will take special care not to inject his personal
opinions on issues subject to public controversy of a political, social or
ideological nature.
The
IDF serviceman will make use of his military authority or status, whether
command or professional, solely for the benefit of the IDF. He will never use
his military authority or status improperly to advance a personal objective, or
to go beyond the limits of his authority and responsibility, in letter or spirit,
within or without the IDF.
The
IDF serviceman will hold himself responsible for the outcomes of his orders. He
will support those who have acted in accordance with those orders or as is
proper, and will view himself as responsible for the patterns of behavior which
he imposed.
The
IDF serviceman will support his unit and its commanders in every way necessary
to fulfill the unit's mission of building, promoting and employing military
force. The serviceman will obey his commanders in accordance with the law and
maintain respect for his commanders, peers and subordinates.
The
IDF servicemen will never conspire to conceal any offense or mishap, and will
not entertain any proposal to be party to such a conspiracy. When confronted
with an offense or mishap, the serviceman will act as is reasonable and proper
to correct the aberration.
The
IDF serviceman who participates in a discussion or dispute dealing with an
activity in which the IDF is involved, whether before, during or after its
implementation, will express his views in accordance with his professional
knowledge and conviction, with honesty, candor and courage.
The
IDF serviceman will use the authority at his disposal towards others only as is
fair, self-controlled, reasonable and professional. He will show due respect
for the person and the privacy of those with whom he interacts.
The
IDF serviceman will view his appearance in an IDF uniform as an expression of
his loyalty to the values and basic principles of the IDF.
When Confronting the Enemy
The
IDF serviceman will use the force at his disposal, in all actions in the face
of the enemy, manifesting perseverance in his mission, courage and judgment,
always ready to carry out his duties despite danger to his life.
The
IDF serviceman will be ready to do whatever is required, and even to endanger
his own life, to come to the aid of his comrades or to recover wounded comrades
from the battlefield.
The
IDF serviceman will act, when confronting the enemy, according to the letter
and spirit of the laws of war. He will adhere strictly to the principle of
purity of arms and to the ethics of combat.
The
IDF serviceman will treat enemy troops and civilians in areas controlled by the
IDF in accordance with the letter and spirit of the laws of war and will not
exceed the limits of his authority.
The
IDF serviceman will act fairly with self-control, reasonably, and
professionally, in carrying out the responsibilities of his position, in all
his contacts with civilians in areas controlled by the IDF, whether in the
course of battle or afterward. He will show respect towards the beliefs,
values, sacred and historical sites of all civilians and military personnel as
they deem proper and to the extent possible, in keeping with the values and
basic principles of the IDF and in accordance with military needs and the given
circumstances.
The
IDF serviceman will fight and exert himself to the utmost, even placing his
life at risk so as not to surrender to the enemy but to overcome him. He will
not surrender as long as he has a chance of carrying out his mission. Even in
the absence of such a possibility, he will not surrender as long as he has
contact with his commander or the ability to extricate himself from his
compromised position.
The
IDF serviceman who, despite all efforts, has been taken prisoner will act
according to IDF orders; responsibly, reasonably and honorably.
Relations with Civilian Bodies
The
IDF serviceman will give preference to promoting the IDF's goals, as is
required of him, in accordance with regulations, orders, values and basic
principles, over the advancement of the goals of any civilian body, in any
instance of conflict of interests between the IDF's goals and those of that
body.
The
IDF serviceman, in all official contact with civilian bodies, will act
professionally and without compromising the IDF's values, basic principles or
honor.
The
IDF serviceman may be involved in the activities of a commercial or civilian
body only in accordance with the letter and spirit of existing orders and
procedures, and within the limits of his position.
The
IDF serviceman will refrain from receiving personal benefits as a result of his
position, rank, status or actions. He will not request, nor will he agree to
accept any favors from any agent, inside or outside the IDF, directly or
indirectly, for himself or others, except in accordance with due orders and
procedures.
The
IDF serviceman will ensure that every public appearance, especially in the mass
media, has prior approval, expresses outright and unreserved loyalty to the
value and basic principles of the IDF, reflects the IDF's policies and
decisions, and contributes to the public's confidence in the IDF.
The
IDF serviceman will ensure that his behavior even in private circumstances
cannot be interpreted as compromising the IDF's values or basic principles,
does not detract from the public's confidence in the IDF, and will not
contribute to the creation of patters and behavior that could harm the
implementation of the IDF's values and basic principles.
Reserve Duty and Retirement
The
IDF serviceman, during his reserve duty, will act according to the same values
and basic principles of the IDF as those that apply to servicemen in regular
service.
The
discharged serviceman may make private use of special or sensitive information
which he gained or which came to his attention during his service only after he
has received the proper authorization to make commercial media or other such
use of such knowledge outside of the IDF framework.
The
discharged serviceman may make use of his military status, including his
reserve or retired rank, or may grant permission to others to do so, only in
civilian contexts that do not compromise the IDF's values and basic principles,
or its honor and the trust which it enjoys in the public mind.
Note:
The Hebrew original alone is authoritative. As in the Hebrew, the values
following "Perseverance in the Mission" have been arranged in
alphabetical order. The order therefore differs from that of the original.
FEEDBACK!
"Good additions. Alertness in my mind, or the lack of it, is the
single biggest defect in our Army. If you look around at the Army today, there
are no serious preparations to go to WAR with the PRC,
even though they are holding amphibious rehearsals and activating reserves for
an invasion of Taiwan. We are going to defuse the situation by not doing
anything. I've been looking into our preparations for the last three days. What
I get in feedback is staggering. Every Plt. Sgt. in the Pacific is doing his
best to prepare his troops. At Plt. Ldr and above they don't want to talk about
it.
I suspect it's no coincidence that ALERTNESS
was left off the list of core values. The whole idea requires a change in
direction and thinking if your alertness detects signs of changing
circumstances. At signs of change a good officer might drop a class in
sensitivity to others and start studying PLA mines, skipping a
retirement ceremony and firing personal weapons and in general changing the
schedule. This would mean that some mandated training may not get done. If in
fact you didn't go to war you might get your dick in the meat grinder because
lets face it, there would be lots of questions from higher HQ about how come
you didn't get some important training done. The answer that you were preparing
your Soldiers for war would never fly, unless we had one. It could mean the end
of a career. I know this doesn't apply to all officers (I'm aware of your
preparations) but to many, it does. If alertness was an accepted value, then
like cascading dominoes you would start to see INNOVATION on a daily basis.
That would scare the General officer to the depths of his soul. Once you accept
ALERTNESS as a value, you're accepting change. When that happens anything is
possible and I suspect that's why it's not an Army Value.
EXCELLENCE is really nothing more than attention-to-detail. This is
important everywhere but it's most important at the NCO level. That's what NCOs
are for. To get the details. This takes respect from officers and distance
(objectivity, fairness and a known standard) from the troops that the NCO
leads. Standards determine excellence, we have to set the standards high and
make our officers try to live up to them.
My last comment is about LOYALTY. As Patton pointed out, it's a two- way
street. During my time in the Army I saw many officers who demanded that you be
loyal to them but some how didn't think they had to be loyal to their own
Soldiers. What this means is, if you have a Soldier in your command who is a
great deal of trouble, you don't throw him to the wolves. He is one of yours,
and it's up to you to bring him around. You have to lead by example, by
establishing that a troubled Soldier is still one of yours and not just a
problem to be done away with.
If those Army values are accepted at the top then they will easily be
accepted at the bottom. I think your additions are critical to the health of
the Army. I hope they are adopted.
British warfare futurist, Phil West writes:
"I've only had a brief scan of the above -despite a common origin,
honour, respect and integrity are different things in current usage. I know
people who have respect but bugger all honour and you can't trust them.
I touched on the idea of new values in the post on the Vietnam Primer-this is needed to be instilled more
than ever, given 80 years of wish fullfilment culture (if you get a chance to
see/read "Century of the Self" do so, there may be something on the
BBC website about it).
There is self respect -but this must be for the right reasons. Having
the latest pair of $200 trainers while your kids are going hungry is not
something to be proud about.
Wearing a hat a certain way (or certain kind of hat)
is not cool, making a positive difference to the world is.
Having the courage to turn around and say "I made a mistake"
-"I was wrong", "we
made the wrong choice" -is, especially hard if you then try to clean
up your own mess. British Army spent more 'upgrading' SA-80s than it would have
cost to replace them with a new weapon, and still our boys are vulnerable
because no-one has the balls to stand up and say 'we shouldn't have adopted
this, lets try and put it right'
There is the courage to make yourself heard when it is important 'Lt, I
really do think I saw someone down there, maybe you should send a scout team'
Something a plumber once said to me 'My dad told me always to respect
someone sweeping the streets -he's doing the best that he can honestly to support
himself and his family' (not to mention making the world a nicer place)
Light infantry should be proud that they are the adaptable and flexible part of the Army,
not hung up because they don't have red berets or APCs.
I'm sure that we could both go on further. A Soldier should not just be
a good fighting man, but a man of good character, since he will see the
worst and have the eyes of the world on him -if he hasn't these traits and has
the usual skewed values from civie street, then the Army must change
these"