The Military as a Profession of Arms

This activity addresses module outcome 2. Upon completion of this activity, you will be able to:
• Discuss the military as a profession (CO4)
When evaluating and discussing whether the U.S. military service should be considered, or classified, as a “Profession of Arms,” it is important to note the lack of consensus on this particular subject; and yet, this discussion has taken place since the historical inception of the military armed forces in this country.
One aspect to consider in this discussion is to justify why the military should or should not be considered a profession of arms. Furthermore, consider the responsibility of the military institution and its leaders to maintain a status of a profession.
Read and view the following prior to writing your post:
The following is the definition of “profession (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site.”- http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/profession
a. calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation
b. a principal calling, vocation, or employment
c. the whole body of persons engaged in a calling
Read:
• America’s Military A Profession of Arms (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site.
• America’s Military – A Profession of Arms (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. [PDF, File Size 1.13MB]
• Army a Profession of Arms [PDF, File Size 3.19MB]
• America’s Air Force a Profession of Arms (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. [PDF, File Size 4.51MB]
• Professionalism, Leader Development Key to Future (US Navy) (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site.
• What is a Military Professional? (US Marines Corps) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
View:
• Army Profession of Arms (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. [Video File, 7:58 mins]
• Profession of Arms Video 1 (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. [Video File, 9:43 mins]
• Profession of Arms Video 2 (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. [Video File, 10:14 mins]
• Profession of Arms Video 3 (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. [Video File, 3:20 mins]
• Joint Chiefs Chairman Speaks to Coast Guard Cadets (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. [Video File, 1:09 mins]
When you have completed your required readings for this module, you should be prepared to engage in the following discussion activity:
• What is your position on whether the military should be considered a profession of arms? Should Service members in the basic training phase be considered professionals?
• Are there certain benchmarks a Service member should achieve prior to being considered a professional, and who should be responsible for making those determinations?
• Discuss the challenges faced by current military service members in maintaining the status of profession using concrete examples? Consider these questions as you develop your argument, ensuring that your justification is supported via references and solid arguments.