What lemming, conformity, blind-obedience 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 . HOMAGE adds the implication of accompanying praise . REVERENCE implies profound respect mingled with love, devotion, or awe . DEFERENCE implies a yielding or submitting to another's judgment or preference out of respect or reverence .

synonym see in addition HONESTY

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.

Bodlak, Loman and Reybold

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.

Baker, Kinney and Koelsch

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 20^th 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)

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:

HTML file

PDF file

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!

E-mail 1st TSG (A)

"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.

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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.

Transport and CSS troops should be made aware that without them there would not be a combat force -they are the shaft that makes the spearhead useful.

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"

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Private Murphy's View

Want Murphy in Your Pocket?

On your desk?

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