Culture of trust

Abstract

Thank you for your service is a common phrase that Soldiers hear from the American public. These words acknowledge a social contract between the service member and society with an expectation of professionalism. Soldiers are stewards of their professions through education, training, professional development, and the enforcement of ethical standards. According to Bond (2010), "As irregular warfare becomes more prevalent through persistent, evolving, never-ending conflict, official and unofficial doctrines that define professionalism and provide clear guidelines for it will benefit the U.S. Army" (para. 1). The Army profession is defined as “a unique vocation of certified experts in the design, generation, support, and ethical application of landpower, serving under civilian authority, entrusted to defend the Constitution and the rights and interests of the American people” (Department of the Army, 2015a, p. 1-2). All recruits take the oath of enlistment, which includes the underlying agreement to live the Army Values. In addition, it is implied that Soldiers, as professionals, will embody the five characteristics of the Army profession, which includes trust, honorable service, military expertise, stewardship of the profession, and esprit de corps. All of these characteristics reside within the social contract between the American public and their Army. Nevertheless, within the Army profession, and in consideration of the many military scandals that have come to light in the last decade, the efficacy of the Army's culture of trust continues to be a topic of debate.