COMMENTARY: Ethics - What guides you?

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Lastenita Schuster
  • 349th Aeromedical Staging Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Any society has always expected a standard of ethical behavior from its citizens. In the military, we are held to a much higher standard and moral code. It is an organization bound by codes of conduct and behavior, laws of good order and discipline, and traditional customs and courtesies. When those rules are compromised, whatever the reason, it causes a failure in the immediate chain.

When asked about the military, people often use words such as: heroes, brave, leaders, honor, resiliency, strength, fighters, defenders. Those characterizations are not merely words or tag lines, but a philosophical and cultural description of who we are, and what we strive to be every day, 24/7. Our bloodlines have run deep and constant since the inception of the military, and are the very foundation on which it was built.

The reasons people lose their moral compass are many, often complex and difficult to explain. What is within our power is the ability to stand strong in the face of adversity, and to hold each other to the highest standards of conduct. As a force, we are resilient. We have overcome conditions that would devastate others. At this point in our history, we are facing challenging times ahead, as a consequence of the misconduct of a few. They do not characterize the military as a principled and moral institution. The actions of a few should not define us or be representative of who we are.

I've had the privilege of serving with officers and enlisted alike who embody the traits of honor and ethical behavior, sometimes under adverse conditions that would test the average person. I would remind us all of the day-to-day living examples around us, of individuals that exemplify and personify those qualities, and serve as models of ethical behavior.

As a military member, we are ambassadors of our service, we serve our Nation without reservations or conditions. We must be above reproach at all times. Be the exemplar of ethical conduct always. Should you be faced with a moral dilemma, you need only turn to your wingman for guidance. In the end, we are only human, but we are surrounded by others, both mentors and wingmen, who can be our moral compass. We are never alone.