Christian Contributions to Army Values

This paper will focus on the means of building the soldiers heart, spirit, and soul. The Army trains the soldiers body through physical training and combining arms training events designed to build physical strength and endurance so that the soldier will be physically capable of withstanding the rigors of battle. The Army trains the soldiers mind by education in basic, advanced, and MOS specific training. Additionally, over the course of time spent in the service, other schools and classes are conducted to sharpen intellectual skills. The Army builds the soldiers heart, spirit, and soul by the values we instill. Over the years these values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage have been trained and reinforced in several ways. They have been taught in the classroom, commented on in efficiency reports, demonstrated on the field of battle, worn around the neck with the dog tags, and carried in the wallet on a plastic card. All this is designed to hold these values before the soldiers eyes. Always, though, they have been intended to give meaning to the life of and build the soldiers heart. These values are important precisely because they define and give meaning to a soldiers life. They speak to the soldiers soul, strengthen the heart and sustain strength. This paper argues that these values can do this because they stand on a foundation that transcends all of them, Christian Virtues. While not discounting the fact that other faiths speak of virtues, Christianity has played a major if not pivotal role in the formation of the nation, the people and the Army.