What would realistic ethical training be like? And why don't we have it?

There's a terrific, thoughtful piece
on the need for realistic ethical training in the November issue of Army magazine. It is by Kevin Bell, who
was an Army captain and left to do graduate work in Middle Eastern studies at
Princeton.

Why, Bell wonders, do we have tough and realistic combat
training, but not equally realistic ethical training? Here is what I think the
nut of the piece is:

As a profession we have to adjust our training so that we
know what to do when rage tells us that it's OK to go beyond the limits of
tactical questioning with a captive. We can't stop there, though. We need to
talk to our peers and subordinates about the real challenges of ethical
leadership in a way that acknowledges how our job culture can warp our
understanding of morality.

There is a lot more to quote in the article. First, he says,
let's stop pretending that there is a huge distance between someone who
tortures and someone who is a good officer. Also, don't make people think
through the ethical distinctions for the first time when they are seized with
rage and grief over the death of a comrade. But, he continues, "lack of realism
in detainee training is only the most obvious problem."  

Don't just preach to small unit leaders, he says. Give them
concrete support that enables them to operationalize ethical standards. "It isn't
enough to know the rules if we are still unsure in a time of weakness what to
do with detainees who might have tactically useful information."

Bell's only misstep, I think, is his last sentence, about
how if these changes are made, "The next generation of junior leaders will
thank us." This rings false to me. Actually, if he is right -- and I believe he
is -- I doubt they will thank anybody, they will just assume this is the right
way to do things. (As a writer, I think people often go on a little too far in
their conclusions.)

But that's a minor gripe. It is an article worth reading,
and Army magazine is to be commended for running it. I hereby award it The Best
Defense prize for best defense commentary of the month.