Army Values Outline

The Army of the United States of America was founded 241 years ago, on 14 June 1775, with the following mission in mind: 1) Preserving the peace and security, while providing for the defense of the United States. 2) Supporting the policies of the nation. 3) Implementing the national objectives. 3) Overcoming any nations responsible for aggressive acts that imperil the peace and security of the United States. To complete this mission, the United States Army created the outline by which all Army personnel are to exemplify and abide by to ensure that all it's members live up to the higher standard in which they are held. This outline is known as the Army Values: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Personal Courage, and the most important
of them; Integrity. The United States Army defines Integrity as "Doing what is right, legally and morally. Being willing to do what is right even when no one is looking." Integrity is the 'Moral Compass' that should guide all of the actions, and decisions, of every soldier; requiring them to not do, or say, anything that would deceive others. By committing to being a honorable, upstanding person, you not only increase your chances of being successful as a soldier but as a person, in everyday life.
Integrity is the most vital of the Army Values because through applying it in every decision, soldiers gain' trust', from both their fellow soldiers and Chain of Command.
It is a well-known fact that the foundation of all successful teamwork is trust. A common saying in the United States Army is "One team, one fight". The Army is, simplistically speaking, an enormous team that moves to execute it's overarching mission through the delegation of orders; all the way from the higher ranks, down to the lowest of levels. From Division to Brigade commanders, Company commanders to platoon sergeants, even squad leaders to individual soldiers; it is paramount that leaders are able to trust their subordinates to complete assigned tasks correctly, and in a timely manner. In addition, something as simple as being at you assigned place of duty and the assigned time that you are supposed to be there is an example of integrity in itself. When you are told be somewhere be your leader they are trusting that you will follow that order, and it is your responsibility as a soldier to follow through. This also means that when given a task, there is no such thing as cutting corners because your superiors expect you to execute all assignments to the best of you abilities, and to do it right the first time with minimal error. When you hold yourself to this higher standard it reflects well on you, not just as soldier, but as a person, because when you are a person that can be referred to as
trustworthy you can be rewarded with greater responsibility and looked at as a role-model for others.
Integrity is not only relevant when it comes to being a soldier in the Army, it is an important value that will make you a better person overall, and the level of integrity that you have directly impacts your relationships with coworkers, family and friends. In the civilian world, the people who generally have great work-ethic have high levels of integrity because they work hard to turn in the highest quality of work in everything that they do; not for a reward, but because they realize that their work is a comment about them as an individual. It is important that in both social and work atmospheres that you words and actions match up, that you are consistent and honest. Sometimes, doing the right thing morally is not always the easiest thing to do, and that is when it is vital to apply Personal Courage to make the right decision and not compromise the mission or your trustworthiness. When you are working as part of team it is important to remember that the team must actually trust in each other to work together efficiently. Knowing that you are someone who can be depended on by others to always do right thing can even lead to a feeling of accomplishment, and even a better acceptance of oneself.
In conclusion, the Army Value of Integrity is the most important of the Army Values because through applying it in every decision, soldiers gain trust, from both their fellow soldiers and Chain of Command, and through establishing that trust, promotes successful teamwork.
If leaders are not able to trust that those under them can accomplish an assigned task with proper effort and attention to detail, it can lead to micro-managing and a breakdown in team cohesion. Integrity directly connects to the other Army Values of Loyalty, Duty and Honor, because without trustworthiness your loyalty to your team and your commitment to the mission will always be in question. Your personal level of integrity directly fuels your drive to no only fulfill your obligations, but to not take shortcuts and complete tasks with your team. It is important that having when using your morale compass you also apply Personal Courage because sometimes the morally correct decision isn't always the easiest thing to do. Lastly, if Honor is defined as "a matter of carrying out, acting, and living the Army Values," then without integrity this task is impossible to complete. Having, and acting with, integrity shows those around you that you are trustworthy and can be depended on; which reflects on you as both a soldier and a person. I'll end this with a popular quote: "Those who cannot be trusted at all times, cannot truly be trusted at
anytime."