Military Values & Ethos
The UK military is, quite rightly, proud of its international standing. All members of the UK Armed Forces abide by a set of core values and ethos. These are introduced from day one of joining the services and are entrenched in the very being of all service personnel and are adopted in their transition to commercial employment. The following exert identifies some of the core values our candidates will have been influenced by:
Respect – Mutual and Self Respect
Integrity – Moral Courage – Honest – Responsibilities – Justice
Service – Physical Courage – Loyalty – Commitment – Teamwork
Excellence – Personal Excellence – Discipline – Pride
RESPECT
This is more than just loyalty to the Crown, superiors and comrades. It also involves the respect for others and a sense of pride. It flows from the duty to put others first and it means there is no place for prejudice or unlawful discrimination.
INTEGRITY
Integrity is the courage to do what is right in all circumstances. It is the basis for the trust that is essential for the Armed Forces to operate effectively. Integrity is vital in establishing trust and confidence between individuals who may face hardship and danger.
SERVICE
Service is an act of selfless commitment. The military life is one of service to the Nation. It is about professional duties taking over precedence over personal interests, the willingness to serve other people before ourselves – ‘Service before self’. Service incorporates the values of loyalty, commitment and teamwork. It might ultimately be about dying for others. Service takes considerable physical courage.
EXCELLENCE
By striving for excellence we show a sustained desire for continuous improvement and innovation that will ensure the Armed Forces remains second to none. Professional excellence is more than the trade or operational skills that we develop through training and during our Service lives. It is the way we tackle tasks, take responsibility and ensure a job is well done, no matter how difficult the circumstances. We must manage risk and understand consequence and effect. We must also have the courage to calculated risk. Excellence also includes an obligation to ensure the most efficient and effective use of resources, including our people.
