Journal Critical Review

Title: Moral dilemmas in a military context. Journal of Moral Education

A case study of a train the trainer
course on military ethics
Author: Eva van Baarlea, Jolanda Boscha, Guy 2015, Vol. 44, No. 4, 458479
Widdershovenb,
Desiree Verweijc and Bert Molewijk
Netherlands Defense Academy, VU University
Medical
Centre (VUmc), Radboud University Nijmegen
Submitted by: Joseph I. Andagan Submitted to:

Introduction:

The article contains a different kind of moral dilemmas for soldiers and one of these is
moral competence that is important for the soldiers who have to deal with different
kind of moral dilemmas within their practice. Hence, soldiers might suffer if they fail to
deal with moral challenges they encounter. The authors also stated that, the critical
elements to moral injury are the inability to contextualize and justify personal actions or
the actions of others and the unsuccessful accommodation of these potentially morally
challenging experiences into pre-existing moral schemas.

The good thing about the article is letting us civilian know what might an soldier face
within their major moral dilemmas while they are in the war field. The article even
stated that soldiers have a legal obligation to refuse illegal and unethical orders if they
would like to. It says that soldiers are invited to consider, reflect and question their
actions, they are at the same time required to operate in a working environment
focused on taking action and following strict orders and policy guidelines.

The following were covered by the author:

1. Context of the study: a train the trainer course on military ethics

The authors address that the trainer course on military ethics is a nine-day course
organized four times a year. It says that the aim of the course is to train participants to
become ethics trainers in their own military work environment and at the same time
foster their own moral competence so that they can avoid having moral dilemmas that
could affect them in a very bad manner.
The authors also stated that it is consisting of three non-consecutive blocks of
three days each, giving the participants the opportunity to put the knowledge and
experience acquired into their work practice in between the blocks. The ethics focuses on
 developing virtues, spurring the individual to think critically. And this is said to make
them aware of their own values and also to develop their moral competence.

2. Critical incidents: a human being or a soldier

The authors addresses the tension between being a human being and a soldier came up
when discussing the topic of bacha bazi. They link to the topic to the blurring of moral
standards and discussed it, knowing that several participants had encountered it during their
overseas deployments. The example on bacha bazi does not stand on itself. The tension between
being a human being and a soldier also came up several times during the course itself.
The article also laid that some of the soldiers are still even proud of what and who they
are and said that everyone should envy me. With that the tension of a human being or a
soldier slowly cooled down. That only means that even if they are having a hard times in their
field they are not regretting of choosing their field.

3. Crucial aspects of military practice

The authors analyzed the two critical incidents within their article and those are moral
issues and dilemmas and create moral challenges. The idea that one is a soldier first and a
human being second may offer some kind of protection in executing tasks, but it may also
encourage the blurring of moral standards.
According to the article soldiers have taken an oath, which stresses loyalty to the head of
state and military law. Also the military requires that soldiers carry out orders, especially in
combat situations. However, as mentioned above, at the same time it is required from soldiers to think
for themselves and refuse illegal or immoral orders.
Being aware of ones personal moral values and the values of others, independent of the
question whether one should follow these values, may make soldiers more sensitive to the moral
dimension of situations. It may also strengthen their ability to communicate and justify to themselves
and others why they choose to prioritize and act upon a specific value.

7. Summary

The authors examined examples of critical incidents from the case study: the train the trainer
course on military ethics, in which the tension between being a human being and a soldier is at stake.
Aspects of military life which seem to be of influence in this tension are: being a soldier; group bonding;
uniformity; hierarchy; lack of privacy and masculinity.

Critical Reflection

Ethical awareness is essential in the field of military wherein instances occurs when
soldiers battle between what is needed than what is morally correct. Hence, the fine line
between duty and ethical principles should be emphasized or should turn into a relationship
wherein ethics should be the leash that holds the soldiers at bay.

Moral competence can help soldiers to act responsibly. Moreover, it can be the soldiers'
moral compass when facing immoral and unethical issues.
 It is highly imperative to dwell on the factors of moral competence such as:

Awareness. Becoming aware of ones own moral principles and personal values is vital as
much as becoming aware of others' as well. With this, we can easily decide whether our actions
and decisions violate ours or others moral principles. For the soldiers or member of the armed
forces, brotherhood is what bonds them together. Thus, awareness of ones moral principle will
keep their respect and relationship intact.

Recognition. The ability to recognize the moral dimension of a situation and identify
which values are at stake or are at risk of violation. Awareness leads to recognition of what to
do and not to do. Upon facing a dilemma, one can easily adjust if she or he is already doing
something that violates the moral principle of others or of his own.

Serving the military over a period of time greatly affects ones behavior and mentality.
Loyalty to the country, commitment to service and brotherhood has already been part of being
a soldier.

Being a soldier also requires a tremendous amount of passiveness - the notion of self-
detachment to situations within the service. It is to further promote unbiased and uncorrupted
stand of all members of the armed forces.

Hence, upon such moments of steel like resolve, ethical principles is being set aside and
sometimes violated.

The journal emphasized the great need to practice the following moral and ethical
principles in order to create or facilitate ones conscience. As conscience being part of our innate
being or the so-called human nature, it is vital to continuously facilitate its standards.

Conscience as it is naturally aligned with ethical and moral principles such as what is
good or what is not can also be misled. It is as if we are developing an immunity to immoral and
unethical decisions that leads to immoral and unethical acts.

In this course, military ethics has been qualified as something difficult to entertain in an
environment wherein emotions and personal opinion does not always matter. Bargains in order
to save the lives of many requires forgetting being human for a while and answer the call of
duty. Enemies are enemies and should be spared no mercy at war. The military environment
have grown into something that calls the soldiers to put their lives or their team at risk to win
the battle and that what makes them the defenders of their country which appears to be what
they think is morally right.

Philosophically, the end was justified by whatever means they have.

Conclusion

Though I am not that familiar with this kind of topic, but based on their article I
therefore conclude that certain characteristics of the organization indeed exert an
influence on moral competence in a military context and it is also important to know
how we could fight with our moral dilemmas.