Military Orders and the Outcomes - Essay Example

Military Orders and the Outcomes Without military orders throughout the recorded history, there would be no structure to our current society. This includes the individuals that have disobeyed orders for the greater good both within the military and civilian population. Military orders are given to soldiers, but the orders are impact the civilian population as well as the military. From Biblical accounts to Hurricane Katrina, the military has given orders to protect and give their citizens structure.

Three examples of military order providing the structure seen in today’s society. Basic training for the military differs all around the world are different. Most militaries drill obeying lawful orders into their recruits. The only exception is if the order is illegal. Osiel (1999: 241) explains “legal orders must be obeyed. The soldier is routinely punished when they are not. In principal, illegal orders must not be obeyed.” Civilians hold to this theory a little more loosely. Most law abiding citizens will not question an order from a police officer.

There are exceptions to this rule, but like basic soldiers most civilians will cooperate with the police. Not all soldiers follow legal orders. An example is Pfc. Bradley Manning. Pfc. Manning leaked classified information to Wikileaks. Pfc. Bradley Manning, who turned 23 last month in the military prison, is accused of the biggest leak of classified documents in American history. He awaits trial on charges that could put him in prison for 52 years, according to the Army. (Shane 2011) Pfc. Manning felt that the American public deserved to know what was really going in Iraq.

He morally wanted Americans to know that the US military was operating differently than reported in military briefs. Pfc. Manning reacted in a way most Americans do in the face of something they feel is unjust. American society is ever evolving. What was legal one hundred years ago is illegal today. The only way laws are changed is if someone stands up against them. Martin Luther King, Karen Silkwood, and other Americans stood up for what they believed in. As a result, they were jailed or even killed.

However, the law changed in the favor of those who stood up against the system. Right now Pfc. Manning is charged with a crime. In fifty or one hundred years he might be considered a hero. American society is structured for civil disobedience in an effort to change laws. Military order has shaped the American society. When a soldier moves up in the ranks by obeying orders, they eventually get to give orders. This type of structure has formed American society. All leaders have been followers before becoming leaders.

Out of forty-four presidents, only twelve have not served in the military. Even those that did not serve did not start out on the top. Whether a military man, or congressman all of the American Presidents followed orders before giving them. In the American society, all civilians follow orders or start out on the bottom before reaching the top. From Steve Jobs to Donald Trump, all Americans start off following orders in school. As they grow they rise through the ranks. Americans learn to accept orders and give orders just like in the military.

Military orders and the structure of the military has effect today’s society all over the world. The examples given here are for the American society, but it applies worldwide. The military sets the standards for civilian behavior in a society. This standard is set by example and by the returning soldiers to civilian life. Military orders are not just for individuals in the military, but for civilians as well. Without military orders throughout the recorded history, there would be no structure to our current society.

Military orders whether obeyed or disobeyed shape the civilian society of today. The example of service men and women direct civilian life. While militaries are often seen as defenders, they are also examples of what is expected in every day life. Without military orders, societies would not be as structured. References Hunt, K. (2010). Missing on the resumes of 2012 contenders: Military service. Politico. Accessed 29 April 2011 from http://hamptonroads.com/2010/11/missing-resumes-2012-contenders-military- service Osiel, M. (1999). Obeying orders: Atrocity, military discipline, and the law of war.

New York: Transaction Publishing. Shane, S. (2011). Accused soldier in brig as Wikileaks link is sought. 13 Jan. 2011. The New York Times. Accessed 29 April 2011 from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/14/world/14manning.html