(C4) Argumentative Paper, C4 Resident (2018 04 30)

ADRP 1 is one of the most important doctrinal documents for Army Soldiers. ADRP 1, titled “The Army Profession” defines professionalism and service for all Soldiers. Chapter 1 of ADRP 1 is the most important chapter in ADRP 1 because it forms the very basis for the remainder of the publication. Titled “The United States Army Profession”, this chapter defines our profession as a calling, Army Soldiers as the keepers of the public trust, and ties our professionalism to our values and ethics. Each of these three characteristics establish the very foundation of Army professionalism and, consequently, form the most important chapter of ADRP 1.
Chapter 1 begins by referring to Army Professionalism as a calling. Chapter 1 opens with a quote by former Chief of Staff of the Army General Raymond T. Odierno. General Odierno noted that the Army Profession is “a noble and selfless calling founded on the bedrock of trust.” 1 Paragraph 1-7 expands upon General Odierno’s quote by noting that the Army profession is more than a career. “Professionals are intrinsically motivated by the value of the service they render to society. Thus, a profession is far more than a job; it is a calling – a way of life.” 2 In establishing the Army profession as a calling – a way of life – this chapter sets the tone for the rest of the doctrine. Chapter 4, for example, is titled “Honorable Service – Our Noble Calling”, which builds upon this definition established in chapter 1.
Chapter 1 also establishes another foundational element of ADRP 1: Army Soldiers are the keepers of the public trust. General Odierno’s quote highlights the fact that our calling is sustained by a bedrock of trust. The word “trust” is used nearly two- hundred times throughout ADRP 1, and this word is defined and conceptualized in
1 Headquarters, Department of the Army. ADRP 1: The Army Profession. Washington, D.C, 2015. 2 Headquarters, Department of the Army. ADRP 1: The Army Profession. Washington, D.C, 2015.
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chapter 1. Paragraph 1-9 notes that trust between Army professionals and the American public is not only earned, but must be “continually reinforce[d]” and is “essential for the autonomy granted by our society...to exercise discretion in fulfilling our role within the defense community.” 3 Without this trust as defined in chapter 1, there would be no need for the subsequent chapters of ADRP 1. Without this trust, there is no ADRP 1 or Army Profession.
Finally, chapter 1 ties our professionalism to our values and ethics. As with calling and trust, the definition established in chapter 1 for professional values and ethics is built upon and utilized throughout ADRP 1. These values and ethics not only impact the individual but the entire Army culture. Paragraph 1-6 notes that “a professional ethic reflects laws, values, and beliefs deeply embedded within the profession’s culture. The professional ethic binds individual members together in a common moral purpose to do the right thing for the right reason in the right way.” 4 Without this embodiment of Army values and ethics by the professional culture and professional individual Soldier, the entire doctrine disintegrates. Furthermore, paragraph 1-29 links our professional values and ethics to our mission and purpose. “Consistently demonstrated, the characteristics of the Army Profession reflect American values, the Army Ethic, and our approach to accomplishing our mission in support and defense of the Constitution.” 5
Chapter 1 is the most important chapter of ADRP 1. This is primarily due to the above definitions and concepts which are established in chapter 1 and are built upon throughout the remainder of the publication. Without these ideas as conceptualized in
3 Headquarters, Department of the Army. ADRP 1: The Army Profession. Washington, D.C, 2015. 4 Headquarters, Department of the Army. ADRP 1: The Army Profession. Washington, D.C, 2015. 5 Headquarters, Department of the Army. ADRP 1: The Army Profession. Washington, D.C, 2015.
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chapter 1, the rest of the doctrine would have no foundation. These concepts comprise the core of our profession and, without which, the Army culture and the individual Soldier lose their foundation.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Headquarters, Department of the Army. ADRP 1: The Army Profession. Washington, D.C, 2015.