Values Essay

This Essay is to explain the Army Values and how they pertain to the mistake I made. In the US army we are taught to live by the 7 army values. They are broken down to us in the acronym ‘LDRSHIP’. Loyalty “Bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. constitution, the Army, and other soldiers.” Duty “Fulfill your obligations.” Respect “Treat people as they should be treated.” Selfless Service “Put the welfare of the nation, the Army and your subordinates above your own.” Honor “Live up to the army values.” Integrity “Do what’s right legally and morally.” and Personal Courage “Face fear, danger or adversity (physical or moral).” We are all drilled on these 7 army values from day one of basic training. First we commit them to memory. Then we learn to live by them. The three Army Values that pertain the most to this particular incident are Loyalty, Integrity, and Honor. What I am going to do is define each using the Army’s definition and then state how I did not use them.

First being, Loyalty- is bearing witness to your allegiance to the US Constitution and its ideals, to the
Army, to your unit, to your fellow Soldiers and subordinates, and to yourself as an Army Professional. Loyalty means placing your professional obligations and commitments before your personal ones. It means dedication to carrying out all of your unit’s missions and to serving faithfully the values of the country, the Army, and your unit. Loyalty is a value that has to be worked upon; Non Commissioned Officers cannot just demand that their troops be loyal to both them and to each other. Loyalty to one’s own unit and to other soldiers also allows comrades to develop deep and lasting friendships that can help them get through the stresses of both combat life and life after it. Both superiors and subordinates who show that they are looking out for each other’s best interests will undoubtedly gain loyalty from other soldiers. In my situation I did not show loyalty because