Military Review English Edition September-October 2013 | Page 68

Carrying off the Menorah from the Temple in Jerusalem depicted on a frieze on the Arch of Titus in the Forum Romanum, Via Sacra, Rome, Roman Forum, c. 82 C.E. Roman insensitivity to Jewish religious customs and abuse of civilians led to the Great Revolt that ended in 70 A.D. The ramifications of the war caused much political turmoil for Rome.

while sapping the fighting spirit of Americans and America’s allies. Today, getting out of the self-mythologizing business as much as we humanly can has become a mission essential task. All human beings deceive themselves about why they do the things they do. The difference is one of degree. Officers and soldiers who practice real moral leadership are those who resist their own self-deceptive tendencies toward superiority, who genuinely care about others and their opinions, who judge people (themselves included) in accordance with their actions, and who actively search for ways that they could be wrong in order to correct their own courses. In John Stuart Mill’s words, these leaders treat their own fallibility seriously. Humility needs to be an Army Value. Specifics. The following are some steps the modern Army should take to become a true, more effective profession:
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? Transform the “be-do” misapprehension at the heart of Army doctrine to “Learn-Do-Become.” ? Give more serious attention to virtue education, to include reidentifying and redefining our selected values. Is it really necessary that we confine ourselves to virtues that fit the “LDRSHP” rubric? Should we not instead choose virtues based on meaning and mutual compatibility?52 ? Actively seek, and frankly acknowledge, truth from subordinates and external, disinterested sources (such as journalists), even when it contradicts earnestly desired narratives about events and ourselves. ? Actively fight the impulse to dehumanize our enemies and the populations in which they hide via doctrine, education, and leader-exemplars. Real honor comes from honoring humanity. ? Educate soldiers more thoroughly on the circumstances under which killing is justified and hold leaders more accountable than their subordinates.
September-October 2013 ? MILITARY REVIEW