Table Of ContentDEVELOPING CHARACTER AND ALIGNING PERSONAL VALUES
WITH ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES IN THE
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
A thesis presented to the Faculty of the U.S. Army
Command and General Staff College in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree
MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE
General Studies
by
LUANN BARNDT, LCDR, USCG
B.S., United States Coast Guard Academy, New London, Connecticut, 1984
M.S., The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 1993
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
2000
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE
1. REPORT DATE 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED (FROM - TO)
(DD-MM-YYYY) master's thesis xx-08-1999 to xx-06-2000
02-06-2000
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER
DEVELOPING CHARACTER AND
ALIGNING PERSONAL VALUES
5b. GRANT NUMBER
5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER
Unclassified
6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER
BARNDT, LUANN ;
5e. TASK NUMBER
5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER
7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER
ADDRESS
U.S. Army Command and General Staff
College
1 Reynolds Ave.
Fort leavenworth , KS 66027
9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR'S ACRONYM(S)
NAME AND ADDRESS
11. SPONSOR/MONITOR'S REPORT NUMBER(S)
,
12. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
A
PUBLIC RELEASE
,
13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
14. ABSTRACT
This study investigates the best method for developing character and aligning personal and
organizational values in the United States Coast Guard. All five of the military services
embarked on comprehensive efforts to develop character and teach core values. Several
environmental and cultural events inspired this endeavor. Military services are competing for
scarce resources: new personnel. Challenges in recruiting and retention are threatening the
readiness of the five branches of the military, particularly the U.S. Coast Guard, the smallest of
the five military services. Society appears to be experiencing increased youth violence, suicide
rates, drug and alcohol abuse, and illegitimate births. Some attribute this ?bad? behavior to the
lack of moral values, thus inspiring a corresponding resurgence of character education in
schools. Of the dwindling pool of qualified candidates willing to consider the military, many
potential recruits have engaged in activities directly contrary to military values, such as gang
membership and drug use. At the same time, the public and the military organization itself
holds its members to higher moral standards. The global environment enables smaller groups
of military members? moral behavior to impact international relations. The reputation of the
military is tarnished each time the media discovers breaches of honor by military members.
For the military, this perceived deterioration of character and values threatens to undermine
both the operational readiness and public support necessary to maintain an effective and
empowered fighting force. Together, these factors make the character and values of military
personnel as evidenced by their moral choices and behavior more critical than ever.
15. SUBJECT TERMS
character; personal values; organizational values; United States Coast Guard; recruiting; moral
standards
16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. 18. NUMBER 19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON
LIMITATION OF PAGES
Burgess, Ed
OF 158
MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE
THESIS APPROVAL PAGE
Name of Candidate: LCDR Luann Barndt
Thesis Title: Developing Character and Aligning Values in the U.S. Coast Guard
Approved by:
, Thesis Committee Chairman
Ronald E. Cuny, Ed.D.
, Member
CDR Robert M. Brown, M.S.
, Member
LTC Jeffrey L. Irvine, B.A.
Approved this 2d day of June 2000 by:
, Director, Graduate Degree Programs
Philip J. Brookes, Ph.D.
The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student author and do not
necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or
any other governmental agency. (References to this study should include the foregoing
statement.)
ii
ABSTRACT
DEVELOPING CHARACTER AND ALIGNING PERSONAL VALUES WITH
ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES IN THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD BY
LCDR Luann Barndt, USCG, 151 pages.
This study investigates the best method for developing character and aligning personal
and organizational values in the United States Coast Guard. All five of the military
services embarked on comprehensive efforts to develop character and teach core values.
Several environmental and cultural events inspired this endeavor. Military services are
competing for scarce resources: new personnel. Challenges in recruiting and retention
are threatening the readiness of the five branches of the military, particularly the U.S.
Coast Guard, the smallest of the five military services.
Society appears to be experiencing increased youth violence, suicide rates, drug and
alcohol abuse, and illegitimate births. Some attribute this “bad” behavior to the lack of
moral values, thus inspiring a corresponding resurgence of character education in
schools. Of the dwindling pool of qualified candidates willing to consider the military,
many potential recruits have engaged in activities directly contrary to military values,
such as gang membership and drug use.
At the same time, the public and the military organization itself holds its members to
higher moral standards. The global environment enables smaller groups of military
members’ moral behavior to impact international relations. The reputation of the military
is tarnished each time the media discovers breaches of honor by military members. For
the military, this perceived deterioration of character and values threatens to undermine
both the operational readiness and public support necessary to maintain an effective and
empowered fighting force. Together, these factors make the character and values of
military personnel as evidenced by their moral choices and behavior more critical than
ever.
iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research is a collaborative process made possible by many people. I thank
everyone whose valuable assistance helped me complete this paper for submission. It is
still a work in progress and I will never be satisfied with the contents. I hope that the
information presented will inspire continued research in the areas of character
development and values training.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
APPROVAL PAGE ........................................................................................................ ii
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................................................................................. iv
LIST OF TABLES AND ILLUSTRATION................................................................... vi
CHAPTER
1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 1
2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ............................................................................. 21
3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ........................................................................ 43
4. ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................... 49
5. CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR
FURTHER RESEARCH .................................................................................... 74
APPENDIX
A. STATEMENT ON COAST GUARD ADVERTISING
WITH THE WORLD WRESTLING FEDERATION ....................................... 95
B. SURVEY RESULTS ..........................................................................................104
C. COMPARISON OF VALUES ...........................................................................119
D. NAVAL ACADEMY CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT PROGRM.................124
E. USAF ACADEMY CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM .................127
F. OVERVIEW OF TYPOLOGY OF
VALUES EDUCATION APPROACHES .........................................................130
BIBLIOGRAPHY ...........................................................................................................132
INITIAL DISTRIBUTION LIST ...................................................................................151
v
TABLES
Table Page
1. Comparison of Principals View of School Problems in 1950 and 1990 ............. 53
2. Core Values of the Five Military Services ......................................................... 59
3. Education Approach Comparison ....................................................................... 77
ILLUSTRATION
Figure Page
1. U.S. Army’s Model of Character Development .................................................. 68
vi
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
These three core values are the foundation of the United States Coast Guard.
Honor
Absolute integrity is our standard.
A Coast Guardsman demonstrates honor in all things:
never lying, cheating or stealing.
We do the right thing because it is the right thing – all the time.
Respect
We value the dignity and worth of people:
whether a stranded boater, an immigrant, or a fellow Coast
Guardsman; we honor, protect and assist.
Devotion to Duty
A Coast Guardsman is dedicated to the accomplishment of our
missions. We are loyal and accountable to the public trust. We
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welcome responsibility.
New Coast Guard members are taught throughout initial entry training that these
core values: honor, respect, and devotion to duty are to guide their performance, conduct,
and decisions every minute of every day. As public servants, Coast Guardians must
embrace these values in both their professional and personal lives. By their very nature,
the Coast Guard’s missions of protecting life and upholding the nation’s laws take them
out into situations others refuse to accept: dark, stormy nights on turbulent oceans with
twenty- foot seas and sixty-knot winds, whether it be on a 378-foot cutter, 110-foot patrol
boat, 47-foot motor lifeboat, HH65 helicopter or C130 airplane. Without strong personal
character and personal belief in the organization’s values, most men and women would
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not venture into such a situation to rescue a stranger. What influences men and women in
the Coast Guard to do what they do?
The Challenge(s)
Like many organizations, particularly the all-volunteer military service, the U.S.
Coast Guard (USCG) experienced personnel shortages caused by both recruiting gaps
and low retention and increased attrition. After two years of using conventional tools and
interventions which were unsuccessful in achieving authorized personnel levels, critical
workforce shortages caused existing members to work overly long hours to compensate
for staff shortages. This negatively affected retention. In a bold, controversial move, the
Coast Guard began advertising with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Why
WWF? The reasoning appeared sound since WWF successfully targeted the
demographic age groups from which the Coast Guard recruits. Several other factors
made Coast Guard advertising on WWF an appealing option to reach a larger targeted
market over a short period of time given the Coast Guard’s limited recruiting budget:
1. WWF owner Vince McMahon’s father served in the Coast Guard.
2. Current WWF champion, Stone Cold Steve Austin’s brother, is serving as a
Coast Guard Petty Officer.
3. Between the first ad on 15 February 1999 and 28 May 1999, 3,546 people
called about CG opportunities.
4. Ratings for the WWF broadcasts increased 87 percent from the 4th quarter
1997 to 4th quarter 1998.
5. WWF programming airs in more than 120 countries and is available in 9
languages.
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