The Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues launched the Soldiers of Character research report on the evening of 3rd October at the Royal United Services Institute, London. Beginning at 6pm, the launch event included speeches by Jubilee Centre Director Professor James Arthur and former Research Fellow and report author Dr. David Walker, who is Associate Professor in Educational Psychology at the University of Alabama. Following a presentation of the aims, methodology and key findings of the report, RUSI Associate Fellow Peter Quentin chaired a panel discussion in which the implications of the findings for the training and development of Army personnel were considered. Delegates at the launch also heard a response to the report from Professor David Whetham, Reader in Military Ethics in the Defence Studies Department of King’s College London.
Complementing work by the Jubilee Centre about virtues in professional practice and public service, the Soldiers of Character research report presents the results of a rare empirical study of over 240 junior British Army officers from twelve branches of service. The research explored the extent to which junior Army officers display and aspire to attitudes and personal characteristics in line with the values that are set out in the Army Values and Standards Guide: integrity, discipline, courage, selfless commitment, loyalty and respect for others. In addition, a measure of ethical reasoning in response to moral dilemmas in a British Army context was developed as part of the research.
You can read the full report here.
Photo (from left): Prof. James Arthur, Peter Quentin, Dr. David Walker, Prof. David Whetham