Military discipline is the principle by which every soldier carries out his duties and activities ethically and following the military code of conduct. Military discipline therefore is the code of conduct of military personnel as they tackle various duties that have been assigned to them. Some officers in the recent past have tarnished the image of the military by not adhering to the military discipline. Various concepts form the pillar of military discipline. A few of these concepts include:

Proper Conduct Concept

This concept as applied to military discipline requires all soldiers to adhere to proper conduct and professionalism. Each solider is expected to be ethical and conduct his or her affairs in a free and democratic manner.

Professionalism Concept

This concept requires the military personnel to view themselves and conduct their affairs as professionals. The concept of professionalism also encompasses upholding of norms and rules that governs a free society.

Owing Concept

This concept in military discipline involves officers knowing to whom they owe their allegiance to. The military officers owe their allegiance to their comrades, their families and their superiors. It is therefore their duties and obligations to cater for the needs of those they are indebted to.

Oughting Concept

The oughting concept describes what the military officers ought to do, which includes the various duties and functions that they must accomplish. The soldiers have an obligation to follow instructions from their seniors. However, some of the orders may be lucking ethical standards and therefore the officers ought to have their personal judgment of the orders.

Honesty Concept

Soldiers are compelled by this concept of military discipline to always be honest while conducting their affairs. They should ensure that they are candid, truthful and they should be straight forward while executing their duties.

Integrity Concept

This concept requires the soldiers to uphold the rule of law, to be faithful and to have conviction as they tackle their affairs. They should conduct their duties truthfully and try as much as possible to evade any conflict of interests, which might compel them to be unfaithful.

Accountability Concept

The soldiers should also ensure that they are accountable for their actions, which requires them to take responsibility for everything that they do. The accountability concept in military discipline requires the soldiers to perform their duties in a fair and just manner.

Respect Concept

This concept requires military personnel to treat other people with dignity and respect. The soldiers should value other people’s opinions especially when dealing with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Useful links

http://www.usmilitary.com/

http://www.goarmy.com/

http://www.army.mil/

Pursuing a career in the military is as challenging and exciting as pursuing a career in any other field. In the US, prospective military students have a wide range of avenues to establish and further their career.

The US Army’s Early Commissioning Program has five junior military colleges for anyone between the ages of 17-45 wishing to pursue a career in the military. This category 2-year program upon which successful students not only become officer but are also awarded an associate degree.

<br>Later, the officers must pursue another 4-year degree at any college of their wish. Other regular program state universities offer the ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corps) which makes qualified military career student become officers in any US armed service.

Pursuing a Military Career as a Lifestyle

There are soldiers who have trained for military careers from a tender age in some of the military academies in the US. In pursing the military career, the students become disciplined and more reliable when called upon for action. Some people also opt to pursue a career in the military as one way of acquiring quality education. However, one does not necessarily have to pursue a military career in order to develop good discipline. Some military schools offer to help the citizens wishing to pursue a military lifestyle in learning for success in other areas other than the military.

There Are Many Careers Military Other Than Fighting

There are some soldiers who, after completing their military studies who choose to pursue other careers other than a career in the military service. Many of them often begin studying for a college degree before opting out of the military. The modern military career acknowledges the fact that there are numerous roles geared towards supporting the soldiers in the battlefield.

Military careers are as diverse as any other careers. The US army has many military personnel working in the area like but not limited to administration, engineering, medicine, mechanics, human resource management, construction, information technology and marketing. Though a military career is not as easy as it might seem, it has so many other opportunities available for those pursuing this career field. Apart from many other benefits, pursuing a military career in the US comes with attractive compensation packages.

The United Kingdom (UK), like its US military counterpart, offers online chat forums for military officials to talk about their military career. This interactive outlet is useful for any prospective military career students to find out more about the field and where they can best suit.

Discipline can be defined as orderly behavior that is as a result of effective training. Military discipline can be achieved through obedience to orders. Military recruits are encouraged to obey their seniors immediately they enter the boot camps.

Types of Military Discipline

The Air force has published a book called, Air Force standards, in which they explain four types of discipline. These are: task discipline, group discipline, imposed discipline and self discipline.

Task Discipline

This type of military discipline is based on how we handle the tasks or work given to us. Task discipline requires us to be responsible in doing our jobs with excellence. It also entails working overtime to accomplish a mission when the need arises.

Group Discipline

This military discipline emphasizes the importance of team work. It can require that you deny yourself some preferences for the sake of your task team or group or unit.

Imposed Discipline

This military discipline requires that you obey every legal order and regulation. The order does not have to be explained for it to be obeyed. You are expected to obey orders quickly.

Self Discipline

This military discipline is a discipline that will lead us to willingly do whatever needs to be done. Self discipline will ensure that we get to work on time, know all about the tasks we’ve been given, set priorities and deny ourselves some personal preferences. Self discipline can also show our commitment and sense of duty.

Military Indiscipline

Military members who do not obey the lawful orders of their seniors or superiors can face serious consequences. The uniform code of Military Justice states that it is a crime for a military member to willfully disobey a superior warrant officer. It is also a crime to willfully disobey a superior commissioned officer. It is a crime to disobey any lawful order. The military members have to obey lawful orders; if the order is not lawful they do not need to obey it. Obeying an order which is unlawful can lead to criminal persecution. Military members can be held responsible for crimes committed under the pretence of ‘obeying orders’.

There are three approaches in dealing with indiscipline: the punitive approach, the preventive approach and the corrective approach

Preventive approach involves understanding human habits, using effective management and leadership skills, being a role model and imposing the standards.

Corrective approach involves disciplining the people who have not responded well to the preventive approach.

The punitive approach involves some form of punishment as a way of dealing with the indiscipline case.

Links

www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil

www.usmillitary.about.com.

What To Expect: Daily Life in a Military School

If you are a student in one of the U.S. Military Academies, in a sense, your life is no longer your own. You have become a member of one of the Armed Services, and are subject to their control, not your own. As an academy student, you will be working toward a four year college degree, the basic knowledge of the military necessary for a new officer, and a commission as a second lieutenant. Not only is your education free, as a member of the armed services, you are being paid.

Initially, you were inducted into the service, and attended a summer boot camp. This included intense physical conditioning, and basic military training As a first year student, virtually every minute of your days and nights will be under the orders of your command. You are a member the Army Corps of Cadets, or the Naval Brigade of Midshipmen, etc. One of the Air Force Academy websites explains, “The environment is one of structure, rules, and regulation.” A Naval Academy site says, “Your four years at Annapolis will be tightly structured.”

Your normal student day starts with Reveille–the military alarm clock–usually at around 6 AM. A fitness workout may precede the first military formation of the day. This will usually be followed by breakfast around 7 AM. A series of morning class sessions, probably four, occupies the morning. Another formation is scheduled for about noon, followed by the noon meal.

The afternoon will include two or three additional class periods. Mandatory athletic training and intramural team activities will probably occupy the balance of the afternoon. Another formation may precede supper. The evening is reserved for study. Typically, lights out, for at least all first year students, occurs about 11 PM. Some upperclassmen may not be required to observe lights out until 12 midnight.

Some of the training of lower class students is conducted by upper class students. This is consistent with the responsibility of higher level officers to both command and instruct those below them.

Saturday morning is usually filled with scheduled activities or additional study time.

Normally Saturday afternoon and Sunday are free time, but first and second year students are usually closely restricted regarding leaving the campus.

In spite of this extreme scheduling, there is a limited amount of time for some extracurricular activity, but not much. However, a link on the West Point web site takes you to a list of 115 different Clubs operating at the Academy. Some are: sports clubs, music activities, language oriented activities, professional association affiliates, religious clubs, and many others.

In the first year, a cadet or plebe’s privileges are very restricted. Freshmen (Fourth Class) and sophomores (Third Class) at the Air Force Academy are not allowed to have automobiles. First, Second and Third Class Air Force cadets are permitted to wear civilian clothes when on leave or during weekend privileges. Fourth Class cadets are not permitted to wear civilian clothes, unless approved by the commandant. As a cadet advances, after the first year, privileges gradually increase.

All the service academies have web sites. These can provide considerable information regarding the individual academy. Interestingly, both the Navy and Air Force have some information describing the details of life as a cadet or plebe. The Army site, for West Point Military Academy, does not seem to include any such information.

Students entering a private, high school level, military school will experience a milder form of the same kind of curriculum and discipline.

Although most of these schools are boarding schools, where the students and faculty live on a campus, these students are not in military service and are not bound by the same kinds of obligations as those in a service academy. Most of these schools do have rigid dress codes and the students are normally dressed in a military style uniform. The school does have operational authority over the students. In a sense, their parents have given over temporary custody and authority, to the military school.

As with service academies, strong emphasis is directed at the lowest grade levels to get the students into accepting and conforming to the military type environment and discipline. As they are normally focused toward high school age students, there is a much greater tendency in these schools to include weekend trips that take advantage of regional attractions, both for educational benefit, and for recreational value. These might include: museums, programs of a cultural nature, sports activities, concerts, amusement parks, camp grounds, and skiing.

Special privileges can sometimes be earned by high academic performance or good behavior. On the other hand, punishments may be handed out for poor grades, violations of school rules, or regulations.

Most of these schools have more lenient rules than the military academies, allowing the students time off campus– particularly on weekends.

For high school students with a specific interest in trying to enter one of the service academies, the academy web sites offer specific guidance on things a student can do to enhance their high school records, and improve their chances of achieving a position in the academy.

There are also several special summer programs available where high school students can learn more about the academy program. West Point has the Summer Leader Program, which is offered for academically gifted students the summer before their junior year. This week-long program is given for 800 qualifying students.

The Naval Academy has a comparable program, which is available for students who have completed their junior year. The Navy program is a six day program.

Military school isn’t for everyone, but there are many advantages for those who choose to attend.