Good Military Profession Research Paper Example

Abstract

The paper describes about the features of the military profession. It gives an account of the characteristics of the profession. The paper explains about the role of the professionals belonging to the military profession in safeguarding the nation. It mentions about the fundamental principles of the military profession and its primary functions in relation to the political system. The paper also compares and contrasts the soldiers of the present to the soldiers of the past in terms of commitment towards work. It states about the transformation of the then military profession to the present system. The paper gives details about the contemporary issues faced by the professionals in the military profession, the causes behind such issues and the ways to resolve the issues. It also mentions about the importance of the mind-set of the individuals regarding the profession and the necessity to possess higher educational skills in both technology and organizational systems. The paper showcases the qualities and abilities of the military professionals and the potential risks involved in the military profession. It also emphasizes on the need to join the military profession and serve the country with dedication, commitment and loyalty. The paper finally concludes by stating the importance of the profession.
Military is one of the professions with a deep commitment to a set of abstract values and principles that define that profession. The members of the military profession accept certain values that are specific to the profession as being more fundamental than other values. The military profession has a defined area of competence based on expert knowledge . There is a system of continuing education designed to maintain professional competence. The profession has an obligation to the society and serves it without concern for remuneration. It has a system of values that perpetuate professional character and establish and maintain legitimate relationships with the society. The military profession has an institutional framework within which the profession functions. It has control over its system of rewards and punishments and is in a position to determine the quality of those entering the profession.
The military profession holds the view that it is a unique profession whose members are ready to sacrifice their lives to serve their profession as well as the state. It evolves around the political system. The interpretation of the military profession may differ from tier to tier but the core professional principles of integrity, loyalty and service permeate every tier. The core of military professionalism rests in the notions of duty, honor and country. These compass professional values of integrity, obedience, loyalty, commitment, trust, honor and service . The fundamental principle of the military profession is to direct, operate and control a human organization whose primary function is the application of violence. The profession requires complex intellectual skills, which require a comprehensive training. It is the role of the military professionals to study and understand the democratic political system and its social and economic underpinnings in order to perform effectively .
A majority of the issues currently facing the military profession were present in 1981, in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. The differences between the military and the society have created a gap, which reflects a qualitative difference between the military of the United States and the society . The ways of interpretation and translation of the military profession into the institutional system and the individual behavior have varied over the years. In the past, the military professionals subordinated the values of discipline, expertise and responsibility to the aristocratic values of courage, luxury and individualism . In other words, the military profession was non-existent in the past. However, as time passed the military professionals started to take responsibility of their role fighting courageously and sacrificing their lives willingly when they hold a deep conviction as to the justice for their fight.
The mind-set of the military profession as a concept is changing. The importance of higher education, the notion of second careers, dual professionalism and military-social issues has become an important part of the military profession. In the context of American culture, autonomy, absolutism and apoliticism are the three major components of the military profession . Social responsibility, expertise and corporateness are the vital elements of the profession. The most crucial function of military in a free nation is to preserve the nation’s way of life. Today, the military profession is a demanding one, which requires more technical ability than ever before. Moral education is an important, indeed crucial aspect of the military profession. The military profession is a systematic creation of a class of people for whom war is a profession and who pursue general and sub specialization in the science of conflict.
The professional military in a democracy should reflect the social, ethnic, cultural and geographic composition of the society. There is a huge competition among the military professionals for resources, issue of missions, modernization, career opportunities, preferential assignments and many others . The military profession has a number of troubling issues associated with military management and the officer’s careers. Low morale is often the result of a number of causes, such as negative team dynamics, adversity, hardship, individual agendas, rumor-mongering, unresolved conflicts between the colleagues and many others . Tension between military and political authorities can stem for a failure of military corporateness. While they do not impact the notion of professionalism, they do affect the structural and procedural environment within the profession as it is a complex system that functions as bureaucracy.
The success and effectiveness of the military profession depends on the motivational values of the team members. The attributes and abilities of the military professionals is a primary significance in determining high-quality mission successes and professional outcomes. Military is a profession that inspires the individuals and instills confidence in their abilities . The absence of any crucial factor can influence the individual and become factors of demotivation for the profession. The profession treats the soldiers as well as their families with great dignity and respect. The military professionals receive all sorts of benefits ranging from social to emotional needs. Decisiveness and persuasiveness are the key characteristics of the military profession. Thus, the military profession is one of the proud careers that involve courage, dedication and commitment towards the profession as well as the nation.

References

Charters, D., Milner, M., & Wilson, J. B. (1992). Military History and the Military Profession. Greenwood Publishing Group.
Huntington, S. P. (1981). The Soldier and the State: The Theory and Politics of Civil-military Relations. Harvard University Press.
Sarkesian, S. C., & Connor, R. E. (1999). The US Military Profession Into the Twenty-first Century: War, Peace and Politics. Psychology Press.