Leadership Derailed

Provide a 250-350 word response to student’s response, and justify and support your answer using your experience and source support from the assigned readings. Verge’s Response to Question A: Military leaders, like those in any field, can veer off the ethical path despite the emphasis on moral conduct and mission priorities. The diverse backgrounds and beliefs within the military can lead to tensions when values clash among colleagues. During my deployment, a striking incident occurred during CAS operations in Syria/Iraq. With privacy in mind, I'll avoid specifics. While flying an F-15E Strike Eagle, a JTAC requested an attack on enemy forces firing at our allies. The mission called for a strafe pass, a low-altitude maneuver using the jet's mounted gun. With a Pilot and WSO (weapons system officer) aboard, the WSO ensures flight safety parameters are maintained and can take control if necessary. In this instance, experienced aircrew, including the base commander as Pilot and a combat-proven instructor as WSO, executed the attack. Flying low also meant risking enemy artillery. As they descended, the Pilot fired the gun, but continued the descent past safe levels. The WSO urgently called for recovery, but the Pilot refused, asserting authority. Despite the WSO's intervention, the Pilot regained control, albeit dangerously low. Subsequent passes saw intentional descents below safety limits, with the WSO stating recover each time but not getting on the controls, like the initial pass. The allure of power often leads leaders astray, fostering a sense of infallibility and the belief that they alone know the right course. This was evident in the Pilot, who, despite the absence of hierarchy in the cockpit, asserted dominance. Conversely, the WSO bears some responsibility for not addressing the issue more in the moment, though intervening might have escalated risks. During the debrief, the Wing Commander shifted blame onto the WSO, denying his own error and undermining accountability. Military leaders must be accountable for their actions, irrespective of rank. The WSO should have challenged this narrative during the debrief, emphasizing the importance of accountability in leadership. Failing to do this increases the likelihood of a recurrence. Moreover, I compare the narrative of the sniper team in Strands' (2020, 3) article with the hypothetical scenario of shooting a young man instead of a little girl. Would the WSO have exhibited greater assertiveness in assuming control or halting the repeated unsafe passes if the individual in question had not been the wing commander? “With continual reading, reflection, and discussion with peers, we can sharpen the skills and dispositions necessary to navigate the rough terrain ahead” (Strands, 2020, 9). While we may not be able to avoid all instances of unethical actions, we can certainly derive valuable lessons from them, serving as a form of prevention. In my community, admitting to mistakes, regardless of safety implications, is a standard practice. During aircrew meetings, individuals openly discuss the circumstances surrounding the error and, crucially, explore methods for its prevention. Leaders should foster open dialogue on ethical dilemmas and empower subordinates to express their concerns and viewpoints. For context, in the text below is the initial question: In the uniformed world of the military most leaders are ethical, selfless and put mission and people first. But there have been many cases, recent and historical, where leaders who were viewed for decades as paragons of ethical behavior and character have run amok and fallen from grace. These leaders who have ethically derailed understand and outwardly embrace the acceptable character principals of our profession but many do not live them; their words and their deeds are not aligned. What factors cause some leaders who are faced with an ethical or moral decision that presents a dilemma between what they know is right, versus what they know is wrong, to choose the unethical course of action? How can these derailments be prevented? Answers and follow-up discussions should include, but need not be limited to, thoughts found in the assigned “Strand” paper.