The Army has six core values that all officers and non-commissioned officers must adhere to. These values are taught at the very beginning of a soldier’s career, whether that be officer recruit at RMAS or junior recruit at phase one training.
The first value is selfless commitment. Selfless commitment is being able to put the needs of your colleagues and those around you above your own. This could be the needs of the mission you have been given or the needs of your team’s combined mission. This can be seen first at the start of a recruit’s journey within the military before they have even walked through the gates of phase one training when a recruit will recite the Oath of Allegiance. Personal commitment plays a role throughout a soldier’s career, however, it is the ability to serve wherever and whenever to the best of their ability that makes selfless commitment one of the core values that a soldier must try to uphold.
The second value is respect for others. Respect for others isn’t something that is specific to the Army. In our modern society, there are people from many different backgrounds with many different beliefs. Soldiers are expected to have respect for everyone, whether that be throughout their own chain of command or whether they are serving with another unit on operations. A soldier’s respect for others doesn’t stop within the military, they must maintain the same respect for prisoners or victims of war as they would have for their own teammates. There are some ways to show respect for others. Listening is key throughout life, not just within the military. We listen to learn new skills or to pass on information. You could be sat on ranks brief and miss a vital piece of information. By doing this, you have not only missed the information you need to pass on, but you have shown a lack of respect for the person delivering the brief. Being polite will show that you are giving respect. By being polite and showing respect, you can change someone’s day or even week. The little bit of politeness you show within your team might spark a team into sharing a good idea or give them a little bit more motivation to get a task completed.
Loyalty within the military means that all soldiers across all ranks will be true to each other and follow orders to complete the mission or task at hand. Loyalty amongst all ranks is what holds the Army together, without soldiers being loyal to each other the military would fall apart. If soldiers were not loyal to each other, the teams would be unable to complete the tasks they are given. Loyal soldiers will work together to build strong teams which will enable these teams to complete tasks quickly and effectively. The stronger the teams are within your unit, the stronger the Army will be as a whole as this loyalty will be seen by others and they will then want to imitate that strength and loyalty within their teams.
Integrity is the fourth value. This means that all soldiers must at all times remain honest and truthful and put the needs of the team before their own. Integrity has a unique significance to soldiering, it is essential to trust those we work with on all levels. All soldiers must have complete trust in each other as their lives could ultimately depend on it. All forms of deceit and dishonesty show a lack of integrity, this would then call into question whether the individual can be relied on. This would damage the team and its effectiveness, whether that be on operations or day-to-day life back in the barracks. All commanders are responsible for defining and maintaining standards of personal behavior in the Army by example, direction, and education. Integrity also demands that those who are in positions of authority, at whatever level, set the highest standards and are fair and consistent to their subordinates. A leader’s example in personal behavior is vital, and this responsibility increases with rank.
A disciplined soldier will obey orders, even under difficult conditions, and act with imagination and resourcefulness. Discipline is the prime antidote to fear, and good discipline will maintain strong operational effectiveness. Discipline is supported by team loyalty, trust, and professionalism. Discipline will instill self-control and will breed self-confidence. The best kind of discipline is self-discipline. The Army expects self-discipline from every soldier, and training aims to strengthen it. The discipline system must be fairly applied both on and off duty by all those in positions of authority. Those within positions of authority must maintain a high level of self-discipline to set a good example for all subordinates. Any lapses in discipline could have a negative impact on the team and therefore have a negative impact on operational output or the team’s ability to hit targets.
And finally, courage. This is both physical courage and mental courage. Both are as important as the other. All soldiers must be prepared to use lethal force to fight. To take the lives of others, and knowingly risk their own. They may need to show restraint, even when doing so involves personal danger. They may witness the injury or death of their comrades, but continue with the task at hand. This requires physical courage, and soldiers will depend on each other for it. Moral courage is equally important. That is the courage to do what is right, even when it may be unpopular, or risk ridicule or danger, and to insist on maintaining the highest standards of decency and behavior at all times. This earns respect and builds trust. Courage – both physical and moral – creates the strength upon which fighting spirit and success in operations depend. It is a quality needed by every soldier, but it is especially important for those placed in positions of authority because others will depend on their lead and respond to it.
The Army prides itself on being one of, if not the best in the world. This is only achievable if its soldiers adhere to the above-mentioned values. Letting even one of them slip can have a massive impact on many things, including the Army's image across the world, the operational effectiveness of a unit, and the cohesion of smaller teams within a unit. These values are what every soldier must achieve without even thinking about it, taught from the start of military service, only needing to be reminded and reiterated every year.