The Questions of the Class… What is Right? How do YOU Decide? ????

What is Right? How do you decide?

Future Ensigns & Lieutenants… What do you think??? What is Right? How do you decide? What is the moral dilemma? What are my moral obligations? What are my legal obligations? Why does the right thing seem wrong sometimes? Can I live with the decision for the rest of my life? Is it usually harder to do the right thing? WHY??? Do my religious beliefs conflict w/ my obligations? Where are my loyalties? Are they right?

Course Themes Leadership Ethical Decision Making Professional Development

Course Admin & ROE (Rules of Engagement) Food / Drink Attendance –Be on time & Participate Do the Reading & Review Objectives Current Events Discussions –Let people finish –Be respectful –Challenge Ideas; not people –Make comments relevant –Actively listen –It’s OK to think before answering –Non Attribution Be capable of facilitating class sessions.

Ethics Essay Approved topic relating to leadership & ethics words (body…not bib, index, etc.) Naval War College format Proposal due by 31 Jan Draft Review on 23 Feb – 13 Mar Paper due 22 March Identify & discuss an ethical leadership challenge facing Junior Officers in the Fleet/FMF Develop recommendations to address the challenge using course concepts

1-Page Point Paper Address assigned case study or reading Use prescribed format –Format posted on unit Website One page ONLY Tests ability to communicate salient points and make recommendations in a powerful, concise document 5 pts toward final grade Due 23 February Another critical junior officer skill…

Ethics Presentation Group project –Groups of 3-4 –Group assignments on 27 Jan –29 Mar or 3 April Address Current Military Ethics Issue Presentation (10% of grade) –15 minute presentation to class –5 minutes for questions –Peer ranking Briefing skills are critical for every warfare specialty

Quizzes and Homework Quizzes will be taken from assigned readings Announced or Unannounced Total of 10% of grade

Case Studies Why Use Them? –Become aware of the kinds of moral conflicts you may face –Improves your ability to reason about certain circumstances –Helps you choose wisely when confronted with a moral crisis –Helps clarify the core values of the Military profession How To Use them –Study the scenario and it’s details –Picture yourself in that situation –Determine: What’s the dilemma? What options or choices are there? What are the outcome/ramifications of your actions/inactions? What’s the right thing to do? How do you decide – based on what?

Fleet Standards Treat you like a junior officer in the wardroom or battalion. Give your best to each assignment Writing and speaking are critical skills for a Junior Officer Successful officers don’t do just “good enough” to get by…

Who is right? If free, educated, rational people can be so fundamentally opposed…

...Because it’s not always black and white… …And it’s not always easy!

Maybe we are seen as different…?

Ouch!

Consequences of Bad Ethics… 10,000 of these… …can’t make up for 1 of these!

Frame work for Ethical Decision-Making 1.Identify the problem. 2.Specify feasible alternatives. 3.Use your ethical resources to identify morally significant factors in each alternative. 4.Propose and test possible resolutions. 5.Make your Choice.

Bottom Line During your time in NROTC, and undoubtedly before your life as a midshipman, you have experienced many styles of leadership and you have had first-hand experience practicing leadership with your peers and juniors. Are you ready to lead Sailors and Marines in combat?

Final Thoughts…

Next Class: Why Study Ethics? Intro to Moral Reasoning Objectives from reading: Recognize factors that make ethics hard Understand the pervasiveness of the psychological motivation of self interest. Questions to answer: On the Eve of Battle Why did Col give this pre-battle speech? Ring of Gyges What would most people do with the ring? Why? Why Ethics is so Hard What are the factors the author identifies that make ethical decision making hard? Compare article to “Selective Unmasking” & “Boat People” case study What factors were common? Reading Assignment EMP (28 pages) Why Study Ethics? (Lucas), pp. 3-7; On the Eve of Battle (Lucas), pp. 9-11; Ring of Gyges (Plato), pp ; Why Ethics is So Hard (Grassey), pp ; A Higher Moral Standard for the Military (Ficarrotta), pp ; The American Profesional Military Ethic (Hartle), pp CSME (8 pages) Introduction (Rubel), pp. xv-xvii; Rescuing the Boat People (Rubel), pp HANDOUT (2 pages) USS San Jacinto Press Release