"All that is necessary for
the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund
Burke)
- In the military, keeping secrets is still a matter of life and death.
Operational security, especially in a war zone, is as important now as ever. The enemy will exploit any advantage offered. That’s why troops’ uncensored blogs and Internet sites cause so much concern for commanders in the field.
Most Marines know this, and most accept it as a fact of life.
So it was at great personal risk, and in direct violation of the trust and faith bestowed on him as a noncommissioned officer, that Sgt. Henry Butts began secretly recording conversations with his commanding officer, turning his MP3 player into a hidden microphone like an undercover narc on a sting operation. That he felt it necessary to protect himself in such a way speaks volumes about his relationship with Capt. Shane Cote, and about the command climate within their unit, Bravo Company, 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion.
The most unfortunate part of the story, however, is that Butts’ instincts were not only solid, but apparently learned.
Cote was clear in his desire to “C-Y-A” after a questionable firefight in Iraq, going so far as to coach his Marines on what to say if investigators called. How can we blame Butts for taking extreme measures to protect himself — and how can we discourage others from doing the same — when the Corps itself seems to be covering up the situation by keeping the details of the shootout and the subsequent investigations a secret?
Cote isn’t helping himself or the Corps. Multiple attempts to reach him for his side of the story have gone unanswered.
The Corps needs to come clean about the shootout in Ramadi, if only to squash the perception that it’s OK to hide the truth when things go bad. Setting the standard for your troops to emulate is one of the many burdens of leadership.
Loose lips still sink ships. But so do commanders who run them into the rocks.
- marinecorpstimes.com
Definition: Integrity means that you are
honest and truthful in what you say or do. You put honesty, sense of
duty, and sound moral principles above all else.
JUSTICE
Definition: Justice is defined as the
practice of being fair and consistent. A just person gives
consideration to each side of a situation and bases rewards or
punishments on merit.
JUDGMENT
Definition: Judgment is your ability to
think about things clearly, calmly, and in an orderly fashion so
that you can make good decisions.
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