Professional Identity for Military Officer - Essay Example

Order Number: U33071353 Professional Identity for Military Officer Professional identity needs to be constructed, to be managed, and we need tomake researches, analyses and make decisions to develop our professional identity. Professional identity is composed of many intricate and multifaceted identities. To define an individual’s professional identity is to investigate the plurality of the identity and how they collectively create “who you are” on the basis of culture, personal factors, education, class, the tendency of shifting identities, and so on. Moreover, people develop the sense of self-categorization through the socialization process, where they learn the manner of social interaction through various cultural identities. Professional identities are therefore constructed with various categories that people are socialized into. Once we are aware of the characteristics we have in each category, we are able to identify ourselves with a professional identity. In today’s world, professional careers are essentially important to us. Unlike a relationship, professional identity was built by the achievement in our work. Professional identity gives the possibility to the person to be differentiated within its competitive environment. Therefore, in order to fulfill a successful professional career, a perfect professional identity should be a vital factor. It becomes apparent that if each professional has a strong professional identity then collaboration is good, whereas a weak professional identity can lead to problems as the worker is unsure of their own role (Sussex, 2004). Among all of the professionals, a military officer is a unique profession, one in which the officer needs to pay more attention to the creation of a professional identity. A military officer, unlike other professions, must deal with hard work, pressure, and stress more often than others. Training for their career will not be a cakewalk, and neither will it be one after they have met the standards to become a military officer. The army officer needs professional identity not to obtain fame or wealth but to fulfill the citizen’s responsibility of national security. The creation of professional identity for a military officer is different from other professions. These are included in the following: It is obvious that a military officer’s dressing is different from the public. Professional standards have created a societal value that one’s dress must be identifiable and formal to be considered as professional. The better a professional’s appearance is, the better they will feel about themselves and the more work they will get done. This value is translated into areas other than the workplace. Besides that, the military has set of strict rules and regulations for dressing e.g. like polished shoes, not wrinkled, all buttons done up, straight gig line, tie tack/clip centered, and break of trouser crease or skirt above/below knee cap, Name plate, and Grade insignia. Dressing is considered a serious problem in the military. Dressing and personal appearance reflects military disciplines. It is an important factor to establish the overall spirit of pride and honor as a military officer. If a military officer were to break these codes, they would be setting a bad example for those on the outside that are watching them; they would make their profession seem sloppy and unprofessional. The uniform allows the military officers to look their best whether they are in their place of work or not. At all times, they must remain professional in look and attitude, but how they look will have the most immediate impact. Military culture directly affects an individual’s identity by setting social standards and “norms”. No matter what the culture, people have the desire to conform. Each culture has its own “norms” that people will conform to for social approval and acceptance. This is no different when one is a military officer; sometimes it is a positive thing when they conform, especially when the conform to the standards set down by their fellow military officers and those that look up to them. However, conforming can also be a negative thing, as it takes away the uniqueness and individuality of a person, the things that set them apart the most from others in their society. If they conform, they are unable to stand out and show people what they are capable of. Individuals and their identities are representations of their culture. Class structure occurs within each culture to identify the powerful from the powerless. This monetary separation sets limitations and boundaries on each class. As shown in today’s life, the higher ranking officer has a distinct advantage than a lower ranking officer. They receive better education, housing, cars, property, etc. However, no matter how high a rank is, they are not always considered "better" than those that have a smaller rank; furthermore, those with a lesser rank have the ability to get a higher rank if they work hard at it and follow the codes and the rules that are set down to them. Military education – Education is imperative when discussing culture and identity. One’s culture influences education, and education has a major impact on one’s identity. Each culture values education in a different way. For example, a child’s education is of a higher priority and focus in Asian cultures as opposed to Latin American cultures. A culture’s educational opportunities also form its identity. The educational distinction between cultures also occurs internally within the culture. The creation of professional identity for a military officer has a lot of obstacles. Misunderstanding may occur for a military officer who believes that materials are more important than responsibility and honor. In today’s world, temptations from our increasingly diverse society are slowly and surely damaging military officers. They become indolence and selfish. Of course the ideological struggle is still very acute for military officers and complex the situation. In particular, it requires military officers to have the right values of life to guide their own life and guide his own military career in the right direction. Military requires all the officers to be in good health condition. However, military officers can’t have a long professional career once they get injured and their whole professional life will be affected. A similar example is Li Xiang, who won the golden medal in track and field in the Athens match of the Olympic Games in 2004. He is the pride of all Chinese and we all believe that a bright future is always there and waiting for him to achieve. However, during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games he suffered serious injury to his legs. He had to give up the chance to contest the golden medal. This example is not from the military, but it can be applied to the same situation. Military officers are facing exactly the same problem as Liu Xiang. For military officers, what can they do to make a living after retirement? Military officers cannot have a long professional career, especially for junior officers. If they are not getting promoted, when their professional peak is over, what can they do to make a living? Even though all of the officers went through Military school education, their knowledge only prepares them for national security. In China, recent reports show that many junior military officers are suffering a tough life after they have retired from military. Zhu Jun is a military officer who serviced at Xiang Jiang in China for 8 years. He received a lot of rewards during his service time. However, in 1999 he injured his left arm and was unable to service in the military anymore. He retired and in order to make a living, he worked as a waiter in a small restaurant. “Except for military skills, I know nothing” is the answer that he replied to journalists to the question of why he choose this job. It is a real reflection that when military officers retire because of injury, their life becomes tough. The professional identity for a military officer can be either permanent or counterparty. “Identity isn’t given once and for all: it is built up and changes throughout a person’s lifetime.” This quote by Maalouf can be found in his book In the Name of Identity, and suggests that our identities shift over our lifetime. If a person looks back 10 or even 5 years from now, they will see a different person than they are today. “Every stage in life determines not only men’s attitudes towards their affiliations but also the hierarchy that decides the relative importance of these ties. These affiliations can change as a result of experience, humiliation, age, relationships, religion, and values. The reasons for change are endless.” Senior officers ranked as general can have permanent professional identity, because after retirement they may still be involved in Military works, like working as a military consultant. However, for junior officers, after retirement they can choose to have a new career, so they are able to have a new professional identity. In recent years, there have been many scandals on military officer’s corruption, as they tend to abuse power. This is a serious problem because military officers may create a negative image and they can never achieve their professional identities when people know they are corrupt. HBS professor Laura Morgan, in an interview with Mallory Stark said, “In order to create a positive professional image, impression management must effectively accomplish two tasks: build credibility and maintain authenticity. When you present yourself in a manner that is both true to self and valued and believed by others, impression management can yield a host of favorable outcomes for you, your team, and your organization. On the other hand, when you present yourself in an inauthentic and non-credible manner, you are likely to undermine your health, relationships, and performance.” Singapore LianHeZaoBao newspaper reported that China began to solve high-level military corruption problems with heavy regulation. Following with the Navys deputy commander Lieutenant General Wang Shouye on suspicion of corruption and bribery, the military commander of the Hunan Provincial Building Major General Zheng Zhi has also been called for dual Commission by Discipline Inspection of the Central Military Commission. When acts like this are taken, further corruption and bribery are halted, so that it may not happen again. Furthermore, should a military officer act in such a way, not only are they giving themselves a bad name, but they are also giving their profession a bad name as well. With any profession, one must act with respect within their ranks, lest they let their fellow comrades down and are forced to pay the consequences. So all of the issues pointed out above are the vital factors that affect the military officer’s professional identities. Professor Laura Morgan also said that “successful impression management can generate a number of important personal and organizational benefits, including career advancement, client satisfaction, better work relationships (trust, intimacy, avoiding offense), group cohesiveness, a more pleasant organizational climate, and a more fulfilling work experience. However, when unsuccessfully employed, impression management attempts can lead to feelings of deception, delusion, preoccupation, distraction, futility, and manipulation.” So whether they can handle these issues well and create positive professional identities is crucial to their success in their career. They must be able to do what is required of them if they wish to be successful in their career, and to do well later in life when they are no longer working as a military officer. So let’s discuss the methods to solve these issues. Firstly, military officers should adjust to the pursuit and they should not be confused by fame and wealth. In the world of military, if you want to embrace success, you should put in much more effort than others. There is really nothing else that a military officer should strive for; being an officer will also influence those that watch them, and if they persevere and train as hard as they can, then they will be setting a good example for those that are watching them. Therefore, the life of the successful officer is always formed by training, training, and training. If the officers become addicted to fame and wealth, they will not be motivated to practice hard. As a result, they become weak and greedy. They themselves will destroy their professional life. Secondly, military officers should acquire more skills and knowledge beyond the military skills they are involved in. Today, if a person wants to get a job and keep it, he should obtain certain knowledge. Military officers, when they retire, are just around 35 to 40. They have a long way to go in their lifetime. So in this period, if they had acquired some other skills and knowledge, they can continue to work in other fields and make a living. It will never be enough just to learn the different things involved in being a military officer, but to also learn something else, so if the time comes when they need the further knowledge to allow themselves to have another career, then they will have it. Conclusion In conclusion, it is not possible for everyone to become a successful military officer, yet it is something that can become a reality if they really work hard for it. Becoming a successful military officer is not something that can happen overnight, but is something that must take time and perseverance. They cannot allow themselves to succumb to fame and wealth, but to what it means for them to be a military officer; it is not just a profession, but a way of life, something that they can show other people who want to better themselves and help their world. It may not be possible for everyone to become a successful military officer, but it is possible for everyone to at least try to prove that they have what it takes. BIBLIOGRAPHY Creating a Positive Professional Image, Laura Morgan Roberts Sussex, F. and Scourfield, P. (2004) Social Care for Level 4. Oxford; Heinemann. Read More