Introduction Leaders in the military assess and develop a strong ethical climate in their organizations by using “evidence-based developmental programs on individual character and moral development” and by using “empirically validated research instruments to assess ethical climates,” as Allen (2015) notes. One important ethical issue currently facing the Army is the problem of sexual harassment. This paper will illustrate the root cause of sexual harassment, its impact on the force, and present a solution for addressing the root cause.

What is at the Root of Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment stems from an inappropriate regard for opposite sex. It can be demonstrated by both men and women, though it is more common for it to be shown by men towards women (Gore, Williams & Ghosh-Dastidar, 2015). However, now that women share a more prominent role in the military alongside men, the problem of sexual harassment has increased, and Bennett (2017) points out that “poor impulse control is, in part, at the root of sexual assault offenses” (p. 707). Impulse control is an essential element of what it means to be a good soldier—and without it, a soldier is prone to the slightest whims and deviant inspirations that may blow his or her way.

A soldier is trained in combat to defend against or attack an enemy. There is more than one enemy, however: the soldier has to learn both about the enemies in the field and the enemies of the mind and spirit that can kill from within by corrupting the drive, the commitment and the integrity of the soldier and his unit. When sexual harassment becomes a problem in the military, it indicates that the military has lost its sense of honor, integrity, duty, and discipline. Impulse control is not something that one develops automatically the way one simply knows how to breathe or eat. Impulse control is gained through hard work and perseverance.

The Impact of Sexual Harassment on the Force

Since impulse control as at the root of sexual harassment, the problem is not an issue that is limited or isolated in terms of ramifications. In other words, it is not an issue that only affects the victim of sexual harassment. If a soldier has such poor impulse control that he or she cannot prevent him or herself from making unwanted comments or advances on another,...

Stimson (2013) describes the problem this way: “incidents of sexual assault are detrimental to morale, destroy unit cohesion, show disrespect for the chain of command, and damage the military as a whole, both internally as well as externally.” Sexual harassment undermines the trust and respect that soldiers must show for one another, for their commanders and for the military ethos—and to regain that trust and respect, discipline is required.
Part of what makes a soldier strong and effective is his ability to buckle down and commit to a task without wavering. Fidelity to the duty and vision of the soldier is essential. But a soldier who is committing sexual harassment is not committed that vision: he or she, instead, is wavering in terms of maintaining a moral and ethical principle throughout all his or her conduct. The moral and ethical codes of a soldier are fundamental and cannot be broken. The soldier is not someone who gets to be a soldier from 9-5 and then stops being a soldier after hours or when on a break. A soldier is always a soldier and is always in a state of readiness. To fulfill his duty, the soldier must always been mindful of the ethical code of the military and must always make sure his or her behavior is moral—i.e., in alignment with the ethical code. Otherwise, he or she becomes a weak link in the military, which can lead to the whole unit suffering in a number of different ways—from failing to achieve routine, daily duties to failing in its missions in the field. All it takes is one weak member for the whole to be compromised. Thus, whenever complaints of sexual harassment emerge, it has to be rooted out lest the weakness that accompanies it spreads and contaminates others.

The Solution for Addressing the Root Cause

The solution for addressing this issue can be found within the military itself. The military has a chain of command; it has its own military justice system; it has its own disciplinary measures for violators of standards of conduct—and all of these tools are helpful deterrents. However, to effectively address the root cause of sexual harassment, what is needed is training in positive psychology, which can promote the concept…