Resisting Hatred as We Resist Aggression

It would be a major moral and social victory if the Army figured out how to accomplish its wartime mission while simultaneously protecting its soldiers from succumbing to hate. Soldiers should be taught that they inflict lethal violence on enemy combatants in war not because they hate the enemy—and not because the enemy soldiers are evil—but because they love those they are sworn to protect and defend. 

See my July column in ARMY: Know Thy Enemy: Better Understanding Foes Can Prevent Debilitating Hatred

Correcting Unethical Conduct by Superiors is Especially Challenging

The most troubling and challenging ethical situations I have faced in the Army involved misconduct by leaders who were senior to me. The Army’s culture would improve if there were a shared understanding about all soldiers’ duty to hold their leaders accountable to the Army’s ethical standards.

See my June column in ARMY here: When "Moral Compasses" Need Calibration