The Army Profession

After almost a decade of war and in an era of persistent conflict, I think it’s important that we take some time to be introspective and think about what it means to be a part of a profession. As someone reminded me recently, “you’re not a profession just because you say you are a profession.”

Some aspects to keep in mind as we think about what it means to be a profession include among other things — the special skills and expertise, the ethics that define our behaviors, a commitment to continued education and development, self-regulation, and in our particular case, subordination to civilian authority.

To serve as a initial catalyst for a discussion, I have posted an interview that I recently conducted with the Army Center of Excellence for the Professional Military Ethic who are profiling a number of Army leaders on “The Army Profession”. By sharing this dialog with you, I hope to expand awareness and initiate a substantive dialogue on this important subject. I welcome you to view my interview at YouTube and below as well as encourage you to provide comments.