Beyond the Ticking Time Bomb: A Case for NCO Ethical Education

I've always said that the two courses we need to teach are Logic and Critical Thinking, and Ethics. I even wrote an issue paper about it once. I think the hardest problem with pushing the idea is that most people believe that ethics and morals are the same thing.

I like the distinction the author makes between training and education.

I've been in a fair number of organizations and each one tends to see itself as "good". The reality didn't always meet that perception. I've found the best organizations and the best leaders, tend to be the ones who not only ask a lot but genuinely care about the people that work for them. They take their responsibility to the organization and to the employees as both being important. This is where education is more important than training.

For example, the best leaders know why it is important to make sure to develop junior enlisted personnel and officers, not just that they are supposed to do it. When you know why something is important you will likely do a better job with it. Ethics is no different. It's not just that they were told sexual harassment within a unit is bad, they know why it is bad and how it will negatively impact a unit. I'd also argue that part of learning often comes from bitter experience and this is an area where education and experience need a nexus to be fully effective.