YOU NEED TO KNOW THESE CORE ARMY VALUES BEFORE YOU ENLIST

Being in the Army is all about serving your country and protecting people. There are seven Army values that one must know and be familiar with in order to guide them in the way they conduct themselves as a Soldier. Suggested read: What Will New Diversity & Inclusion Change Agents Do for the USCGA?

Understanding the U.S. Army Values

The Army core values are important, as they affect a Soldier’s ethical behavior that influences one’s actions and helps them realize what’s right and wrong. These values are learned by Soldiers during Basic Combat Training and are demonstrated every day after, whether the Soldier is on duty or off duty. The Army values were always in place, and it can be traced back to Valley Forge in 1778 when Baron Von Steuben established values that non-commissioned officers should have. However, these values apply to all Soldiers, active-duty, guard members, and reserve personnel, no matter the rank.

Army Values Defined

What are the Army values? There are seven army values that spell out LDRSHIP.

• L - loyalty.
• D - duty.
• R - respect.
• S - selfless service.
• H - honor.
• I - integrity.
• P - personal courage.

Loyalty is all about staying devoted to someone, something, or a particular cause. In the Army, loyalty is important, as all Soldiers must remain loyal to their country, the people they’re sworn to protect, and their comrades. Fulfilling your duty means carrying out the tasks assigned to you and completing your obligations, whether it’s by yourself or with a team. The Army consists of constant tasks, missions, and responsibilities that need to be done. Fulfilling one’s duty shows how responsible you are and often requires the sacrifice of one’s own interest. The saying goes, treat others how you would want to be treated. In other words, treat people with respect if you want that respect back. Being respectful and giving your full attention when needed will allow others to reciprocate that respect. However, it’s also important to have self-respect. Selfless service can best be described as putting other people before you. As a Soldier, it’s important to prioritize the welfare of the nation, the Army, and your peers. This goes hand-in-hand with duty, as one must take that extra step in enduring more and putting in more effort in their duties to put others first. It’s best to be selfless and think of other people. It is important for Soldiers to make honor a habit in their daily lives. They should remain honorable and consider it with every decision and choice they make. Honor is about acting out the Army values in everything they do. When it comes to integrity, Soldiers should make the right decisions, both legally and morally. Their moral principles should always come into play in living with good behavior. Choices should be made based on integrity, and this will only allow others to trust you more. Lastly, personal courage involves putting your safety at risk to ensure the safety of your unit. Soldiers are bound to experience fear and hardships in the Army, but a Soldier must stay on the right path, not give up, and continue to protect others. In their daily lives, Soldiers display personal courage by doing things that are honorable.

Applying the Army Values

The seven core Army values are not only important for Soldiers when they are on duty, but it’s also something they live by in their day-to-day lives. These values are also something that many civilians can and should strive to demonstrate. Read next: How Military Personnel Exemplify the Qualities of National Honesty Day

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. Photo by Spc. Matthew Foster 117th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment (Hawaii)