Ethical Issues In The Federal Government’s Department Of Defense Essay

If thither could be any affaire in the the Statesn g all everywherenance that the gentleman has long been admiring, it would of all time be its military strength. Besides its technology, high return standards, its m unrivalledy, expat and program lineal facilities, the world has been spirit up at America beca manipulation of its faithfulness in the field war and battle. It would calculate for the rest of the world that Uncle Sams shitn domiciliates a smooth-sailing life that mountain of different colors race and tense up to come over.The lifesize question to knock over into is this Is America free of putridness and misdirect? The answer to the question is a big no. In this paper, we go forth exploit to look into the honorable standards of the federal governance for the purpose of having a benchmark in our evaluation of the pr make outiced deviations inside the organization. Specific exclusivelyy, we en in believe try to evaluate how the subdivision of defe nce mechanism go through the process of procurance and allow try to pinpoint where the taint in such process is, resulting to bal whizy and abuse. This paper has included veritable move cases where the Department of defence force was multiform.Through these processes, we will be able to prove that no matter how flop the policies and laws of the Federal Government, the coercive America can non control its entire nation and retard them from overriding personal interests and semi familiar pull. At the end of this paper, the agent hopes to micturate the readers convinced that Federal laws and policies still live flaws and that should be taken into consideration the so ace(a)st possible in order for the American nation and the rest of the world cook its fading trust and confidence over the battalion behind their security.President George render during his term, in all probability ensuring the public of their trust towards the administration, issued a separate orde r that would serve as guideline for strict ossification of all personnel directly serving the public. administrator Order 12731 of October 17, 1990, entitled Principles of Ethical endure for Government Officers and Employees orders each judicature employee to avoid, pr steadyt and help detect thespian and pose to honest standards at all measure and situations.The first section of the EO12731 provides catchy ethical principles which pr even sot each employee to hold fiscal interests that combat with the conscientious performance of transaction and engage in financial transactions using non-public disposal information or allow the improper use of such information to further any tete-a-tete interest (section 101-b and c). Subsections of the order in any case acquire each employee to act will all-inclusive honesty in their duties and nearly significantly they atomic number 18 not allowed to use public mathematical function for private gain.The Federal Government, gro und on its laws and policies, has been straightforward and communicate as to guiding its public servants to the proper, ethical way they should display all the time. So why atomic number 18 at that place still unnumbered cases and accusations that hold back been polluting the air of the public servants? What is much frustrating to do is the occurrence that even in the Department of demurrer, many employees and vigilance personnel has been proven to be bestow to such corruption.The accompaniment of unethical look existing in the Federal government is not just an eruptside ceremonial but is also existence accept by those working inside the organization. In a press release issued by the Ethics Resource Center, it turned forbidden that 52% of the Federal employees are cognizant and are witnesses of at least one type of misbehavior among their colleagues in the fore passing play grade. What is to a greater extent is that but 30% of national official workers surve yed believe their organizations score well- utilise ethics and compliance programs and that only one in 10 said there is a impregnable ethical culture in their national workplace (ERC 2008).Al almost one can of public sector employees identifies their work environments as conducive to misconduct places where there is hard pressure to compromise standards, where situations invite error and/or employees personal values conflict with the values espoused at work (Harned, Patricia cited in Smith, Ralph 2008). In reference to the reports mentioned above, this paper do an impression that there might be several(prenominal)thing inside the Federal government that attracts employees to curve ethical considerations and to prefer personal interests over public trust.One thing unadorned thing is funds. The Federal government, even though have limited financial resources, has probably been the most liquid source of kickbacks for the naughtiness apples in the barrel. It is worth noti ng that the U. S. government is the largest con bosomer of quality contracts (Lander, Gerald et. al. 2008). Using this mere information, we can intelligibly conclude that there is enough bills for the bad apples on hand. Moreover, it would be precise easy for us to extract the situation that the money is much attracting for those inside the procural sections.As to national expense, reports say that procurement contracts have been the fastest-growing part of the discretionary budget. In fact, procurement spending rose 86%, twice as fast as other(a) discretionary spending, which rose 43% between 2000 and 2005. Moreover, such spending dispassionate of 40 cents per dollar of discretionary spending (Ibid). The figures are quite more than lovely and conducive for the bad apples to abuse the trust and authorities vested on them by the public. scorn the fact that trust is held as the most weighty asset of the government, there is one thing that even the most federal mannerf ul government cannot control greed.It is a military personnel element that the procurement agencies of the government advisedly or unintentionally tolerate. The contumacious fact of human greed is even recognised by the Department of Defense. As the spokesman of the Pentagon, Dan Howard has noted, The science system is sound but there is no system on the memorial tab permit of this earth that completely obviates the human cypher greed. And that is why we have policing systems (The New York Times, June 26, 1988). The trust placed by the public over the Department of Defense continue to communicate as more and more cases of craft files in court have resulted to uncounted convictions.In Philadelphia alone, the investigation conducted at the Defense Personnel Support Center, resulted in the bill of indictment of 28 individuals and companies on various blind charges. Such procurement transactions involved textile and apparel industry which have government contracts on uniforms , tents, boots for the arm forces. here wherefore is the chance for us to subscribe these questions What is the purpose of having ethical standards in the federal government? Are these statements of ethical behaviors for the interestingness of complying with the SEC requirements?Are the ethical standards rotted or the problem of abuse of power and ethical deviance matters of implementation flaws? Referring oddly to the Department of Defense, it is unlikely that these educated masses came short of understanding the ethical impressions. In fact, the subdivisions publication, Armed Forces Comptroller, the author recognizes the fact that their personnel understand the concept of ethics. The author even stressed that most of them are indispensable to attend some form of mandatory ethics develop (Benoit, Diana 2006).The Department of Defense has in fact sound which they consider as forming the ethical foundation of the Dept of Defense personnel. For the purpose of evaluation, l et us try to look into these then subject matter concepts. The author stressed that these core concepts reflect the standards and expectations of military personnel and federal employees throughout the organization (Ibid). The first of the ethical concepts is honesty which they define as beingness truthful and straightforward, regardless of grade or rank.Honesty is regarded by the surgical incision as an ethical concept that goes beyond being trustworthy that it encourages its employees to do not only what is legal but also what is right. relational to this, abuse of power and betrayal of trust still include acts or attempts of privacy the truth. If the Department of Defense personnel all the way understand this concept, there should have been no reason to remain silent on issues that involves witnessing ethical deviance inside the organization. The ethical concept of honesty goes beyond the issues of actual money laundering.It encompasses keeping accurate dispositions and fi nish tasks to the extent of ones capacitance and ability. This means that coming to the office late, going out early taking breaks more than the allowable time are forms of deceit and thus are unethical behaviors. victimize the taxpayers could also mean using office supplies for personal activities or lavish phthisis of such resources. What is frustrating is that this concept is being disregarded by high rank employees of the department at a easily higher level of deception as mentioned above.Simple cheating in record keeping and of utilizing government resources for personal use can be detect and be prevented at the lower level of organization. However, it would be a different thing to know that cheating is even more unspoilt at the higher level of focussing who are expected to be the constabulary in the department. In fact, the report released by the U. S. Department of Justice (DOJ) during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, the United States recouped more than $1. billion dollars in settlements and judgments pursuing allegations of fraud and in the next fiscal year, the government recovered a record hit of more than $3. 1 billion in settlements and judgments from cases involving claims of fraud (Lander et. al 2008).Closely related to the ethics of honesty is the concept of legality which the defense team defines as doing the right thing the first time and every time. In an observation by one of the members of the special(prenominal) Investigations Unit of the Minnesota Bureau of wretched Apprehension in St. Paul, Special actor Timothy J. OMalley recognizes the temptations of fraud in their field.OMalley said police officers vista greater temptations than they did just a decennium or so ago (Bladow, J. 1994). As an agent, he can pinpoint the fact that the department handles explosives and illegal drug cases which ostensibly involve a vast sum of money. Taking OMalleys hire words, a tremendous amount of illegitimate cash fuels this m arket. Here then lies one uncontrollable factor that we can consider. silver is the central thing that enables the government to run. It is money that is the main reason why people often generation compromise integrity and principles with dollars. notes enables the government to provide services to public. Employees have to be paid with salaries, supplies have to be bought, buildings have to be constructed, communication and transportation facilities have to be purchased and improved. In fact, America will never be the most powerful nation in the world without its money spent in technology, education and basic government facilities. Moreover, America cannot in anyway be respected or shall we say be feared by other nations if not for its military strength. It is a elevated instance that this nation is being challenged by the terrorists during the 911 event.What this paper would like to point out is that even though money is an uncontrollable element in the federal government and p articularly in the procurement agency of the department of Defense, transaction processes involving money are very much controllable. In fact, the DOD has sound policies and procedures expressed in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation postscript (DFARS) and Procedures, Guidance, and training (PGI). In brief, these politys and guidelines were codified and implemented for procedure compliance purposes especially on procurement transactions undergone by the department.In its Section 201. 304, FAR requires the approval of the USD (AT& adenosine monophosphateL) before including in a department/agency or component supplement, or any other contracting regulation document such as a policy letter or clause book, any policy, procedure, clause, or form that has a significant effect beyond the upcountry operating procedures of the agency or has a significant cost or administrative impact on contractors or offerors (Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) and Procedur es, Guidance, and Information (PGI) 2004).Where then lays the procedure flaw- on the plausive committee or on those who presents the facts of the procurement contracts? The answer does not solely lies on these precepts. The factors that corrupt integrity in the Department of Defense can be traced in the early stage of the hiring process. The applicant excerpt process patch ups a critical, though sometimes overlooked, component of police ethics programs (Bonczek, S. and D. Menzel 1994). The authors intimate that the agency should thoroughly conduct inter apparent horizons, mental tests, and extensive background checks (Ibid, p. 4).This would then realize an applicants compatibility with the departments ethical philosophy. This process can be beneficial in the early denomination of red flags in an applicants personality before he gets into the department. til now if not all of the factors contributing to the unethical behavior of an employee can be detected at this stage, ther e are comfortablyish preventive measures that are being through with(p) here that can prevent a rotten tomato mingle with the good ones inside the basket.The riskier the world becomes, the higher the standards should the department implement in order to maintain, if not to enhance the integrity of the defenders of the American security. As one observer have noted, it is important that high standards in the hiring process be maintained at all times because of the fact that diminished standards or broken background checks have resulted in the hiring of armed robbers, burglars, and drug dealers as police officers (D. Holmquist 1993, p. 38). We have to remember that temptations are everywhere and that is one uncontrollable factor inside the department of defense. Because DOD has got much money to offer especially in the procurement transactions, it distinctly caters to a tempting environment. However it cannot truly be an excuse neither it will justify ones act of corruption. Devi ance to ethical standards is a clear betrayal of trust and a touch in the name of the person, if he even cares enough for it.A recent occupy established that fast-talking, outgoing, assertive, and self-confident risk takers represent the best candidates for undercover work. While this whitethorn come as no surprise, the take also concluded that these personality traits are often the same ones predisposing an officer to corruption and psychological distress (Bladow, p. 12). This suggests that a good apple in the barrel has always the chance of being badly influenced by others.Strict hiring standards are therefore required to be implemented during the hiring process at all levels. Police managers must view their hiring standards as components of managing for ethics (Wells, S. A. 1993, p. 67). Strict fond regard to employee selection is a must although form in the law enforcement departments must also be considered in order to sustain diverse citizenry. Agencies should not pursue the polish of a diversified workforce at the expense of one of law enforcements most valued asset- integrity (Travis, M. A. 1994, p. 1717).