What it means to be a professional in the military (army) - Essay Example

What It Means To Be a Professional in the Military Introduction Military is arguably one of the most difficult, challenging, and demanding careers. This is so because military uses tools of violence to bring peace to the society. Due to this nature, military profession demands the highest level of professionalism to ensure that the set code of conduct is upheld. This is a discussion on what it means to be a professional in the military.Professional in the MilitaryOne of the most important aspects of military professionalism is deep understanding of specialized knowledge in the military.

Professionalism in the military calls for deep understanding of codes of conduct, rules, regulations, and expectations. It is practically impossible to uphold the acceptable standards in any professional without understanding the underlying principles. Professional militants keep themselves updated with changes in rules and regulations. Professionalism particularly in the military always calls for focus on work objectives. Doing anything outside the given instructions qualifies as unprofessionalism.

Military professionalism is not all about war and fights. It is about restoring peace and harmony in the society by use of means that are humanely acceptable. This demands good ethical standards. Indeed, military professionalism and ethics are inseparable. For instance, it is unethical and therefore unprofessional for a military professional to torture an innocent civilian for pleasure or fun. Technical expertise is always essential for military professionalism but it is fruitless if not guided by the realms of good morals and ethical standards.

Professionalism in the military means demonstrating sound judgment even in difficult and demanding situations. Prudence and careful thought makes a good military professional. This is because military professionals often face challenging situations that demand prompt decision-making. Quality of their decisions determines the discourse in a war. A bad decision by a military leader may mean death to many of his military men or a continuation of a fight. Arguably, most wars in history were escalated by bad decision making as opposed to technical expertise.

Discipline plays a very important role in success of any professional career. Military professionals are given more rights, freedom, and power of authority as compared to ordinary citizens. They can be termed as “special citizens.” These rights and privileges are prone to abuse if discipline is not maintained. Professionalism in the military therefore means upholding the highest level of discipline to the authority, oneself and most importantly to the people they serve. Commitment to service is a core concept of effective professionalism.

A doctor is committed to promoting health in the community at all cost and so does a military professional in preserving peace in the society (Kennedy 1). Although military professionals are seen as public enemies in times of protests and uprising, they are actually committed to serving the community. Professionalism in the military demands for total commitment to the society. It always works for the best interest of the society. Conclusion As it has been discussed, there are many requirements for professionalism in the military.

Professionalism in the military demands, high ethical and moral standards, good and prudent judgment, discipline, technical expertise, and most importantly, total commitment to service. Works CitedKennedy, Robert. Why Military Officers Must Have Training in Ethics. 2000. Web 9, December 2011 < http://isme.tamu.edu/JSCOPE00/Kennedy00.html>