ABSTRACT
This chapter examines military professionalism with reference to the major themes developed in empirical studies. It also analyzes the relationship of these themes to general propositions regarding the military profession in the post-Vietnam era. The chapter focuses on value convergence and empathy between the military and society and on officer perceptions of the military institution and profession. In retrospect, the issues for the US military in Vietnam were not whether the war was just or unjust or whether the military should serve in that area. The issues were the effectiveness of the military in defeating the enemy and the impact of the total experience on the military institution and the profession. This latter concern has caused much debate and discussion in the aftermath of Vietnam. Vietnam cannot be blamed for all of the problems and dilemmas facing the military profession in the late 1970s, but most people agree that the war catalyzed a number of substantive professional issues.
