The Commissioned Army Officer – Committed by and to the Law

Abstract:     
The notion of the American commissioned Army Officer as a “creature of the law” owes much to the history and tradition of other militaries. Adapting some exemplary traditions, and eschewing the less-than-exemplary ones, the Nation has fashioned an Army and a corps of commissioned Army officers with distinct legal rights and responsibilities. As a significant part of preserving and promoting that tradition of exemplary service, West Point educates, trains, and inspires future commissioned leaders of character, as they commit to the values of Duty, Honor, Country, and prepare for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army.

The discussion that follows will trace some of those traditions from the British military heritage adapted and altered by the Continental Army, through present-day requirements for commissioned Army Officers to dedicate themselves to selfless service, and advancing the rule of law domestically and abroad, while scrupulously adhering to the law, moral codes, and standards of ethics.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 14

Keywords: Army, Army Officer, Ethics, Military Ethics, United States Military Academy, USMA, West Point, Duty, Honor, Country, Character, Military History, Military Heritage, Rule of Law, Morality, Moral Codes, Standards of Ethics

Accepted Paper Series