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Bear true faith and allegiance to the US Constitution, the Army,
your unit, and other soldiers.
Be loyal to
the nation and its heritage. Loyalty is a two-way street: you
should not expect loyalty without being prepared to give it as
well.
The loyalty of
your people is a gift they give you when, and only when, you
deserve it—when you train them well, treat them fairly, and live
by the concepts you talk about.
Remember
Soldiers fight for each other—loyalty is that commitment.
Loyalty extends
to all members of all components of the Army. Both the reserve
component—Army National Guard and Army Reserve—and Army
civilians all play an increasingly active role in the Army’s
mission.
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Fulfill your obligations.
The essence
of duty is acting in the absence of orders or direction from
others, based on an inner sense of what is morally and
professionally right....
Duty begins with
everything required of you by law, regulation, and orders; but
it includes much more than that. As a professionals do your work
not just to the minimum standard, but to the very best of your
ability. Commit to excellence in all aspects of your
professional responsibility so that when the job is done they
can look back and say, “I couldn’t have given any more.”
Take the
initiative, figuring out what needs to be done before being told
what to do. What’s more, take full responsibility for your
actions and those of your subordinates.
Never shade the
truth to make the unit look good—or even to make others feel
good. Instead, follow your higher duty to the Army and the
nation.
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Treat people as they should be
treated.
Army leaders honor everyone’s
individual worth by treating all people with dignity and respect.
The leader who
feels and gives the respect which is due to others cannot fail
to inspire in them regard for himself.
While he who feels, and hence manifests, disrespect
toward others, especially his subordinates, cannot fail to
inspire hatred against himself.
Respect for the individual forms the
basis for the rule of law, the very essence of what makes America.
In the Army, respect means recognizing and appreciating the inherent
dignity and worth of all people. This value reminds you that your
people are your greatest resource.
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Put the welfare of the nation, the
Army, and your subordinates before your own.
Selfless service leads to
organizational teamwork and encompasses discipline, self-control and
faith in the system.
Selfless Service means doing what’s
right for the nation, the Army, your organization, and your
people—and putting these responsibilities above your own interests.
The needs of the Army and the nation
come first. Selfless service means that you don’t make decisions or
take actions that help your image or your career, for a team to
work, the individual has to give up self-interest for the good of
the whole. The requirement for selflessness doesn’t decrease with
one’s rank; it increases.
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Live up to
all the Army values.
What is life
without honor? Degradation is worse than death. – Lieutenant
General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson
Honor provides
the “moral compass” for character and personal conduct in the
Army.
Though many
people struggle to define the term, most recognize instinctively
those with a keen sense of right and wrong, those who live such
that their words and deeds are above reproach.
Honor is
demonstrating an understanding of what’s right and taking pride
in that reputation means this: Live up to all the Army values.
Implicitly, that’s what you promised when you took your oath of
office or enlistment. You made this promise publicly, and the
standards—Army values are also public. To be an honorable
person, you must be true to your oath and live Army values in
all you do.
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Do what’s
right—legally and morally.
The American
people rightly look to their military leaders not only to be
skilled in the technical aspects of the profession of arms, but
also to be men of integrity.
People of
integrity consistently act according to principles—not just what
might work at the moment. People of integrity do the right thing
not because it’s convenient or because they have no choice. They
choose the right thing because their character permits no less.
Conducting
yourself with integrity has three parts:
«
m
Separating what’s right from what’s wrong.
«
m
Always acting
according to what you know to be right, even at personal cost.
«
m
Saying openly
that you’re acting on your understanding of right versus wrong.
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Face fear, danger, or adversity both
physical or moral.
Personal courage isn’t the absence of
fear; rather, it’s the ability to put fear aside and do what’s
necessary.
Personal courage takes two forms,
physical and moral. Good leaders demonstrate both.
Physical courage means overcoming fears
of bodily harm and doing your duty. It’s the bravery that allows a
soldier to take risks in combat in spite of the fear of wounds or
death.
In contrast, moral courage is the
willingness to stand firm on your values, principles, and
convictions — even when threatened. It enables leaders to stand up
for what they believe is right, regardless of the consequences.
Leaders who take responsibility for their decisions and actions,
even when things go wrong, display moral courage. Courageous leaders
are willing to look critically inside themselves, consider new
ideas, and change what needs changing.
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