I am a retired Army officer who believes in the moral standing of the profession of arms, yet recognizes its shortcomings. I served in the Army from 1984-2017, mostly in the infantry and on the faculty at West Point. As a researcher of combat leadership and ethics, I interviewed hundreds of Army leaders in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2003-2011. Welcome to this online space for thinking about war, morality, and the profession of arms. Follow me @combat_ethics
War can be an Experience of both Heaven and Hell
Many combat veterans have a love/hate relationship with their wartime experiences. They love the profound sense of purpose that their liv...
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This is my latest version of laying out the argument. Feedback is welcomed! A moral justification for killing in war By Pete Kilner, 2009 In...
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Some of my fellow Soldiers have questioned whether I should be addressing this issue--the need to talk about the moral justification of ki...
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War is a breeding ground for moral injury. Even in a justified [1] war that is fought justly, combat soldiers are likely to intentional...
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Among my statements that were included in the film "Soldiers of Conscience," my thought experiment about the Good Samaritan has ev...
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by Pete Kilner (@combat_ethics) Killing the enemies of our country in war is something that has to be done, but it’s not something tha...